Tamers: Guardian of the Hazard
by Zandermon
Summary: Decended from antiant heroes, Takato Matsuki will protect the hazard from those who would use it for their own gain, and and by doing so, he keeps the world safe from the hazard that would sweep acros every nation. PLEASE REVIEW ... Hazard Searies
1. Prolouge

**Zandermon: well here`s my prologue i hope you like it.**

_**{A Digimon appears in a flash of light}**_

**Angewomon: Angewomon the beautiful is in the house!**

**Zandermon: ....why are you here**

**Angewomon: well, I'm your girl and I want to be here [she sits on the purple plush couch with an arm around him] **

**Zandermon: uh...oh, yes ok {Coughs awkwardly} anyway this prologue will see the origins of a much loved character **

**Angewomon: who?**

**Zandermon: I`m not telling!**

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**Tamers: Guardian of The hazard [A Prologue]**

**Adriatic Sea December 20th 323BC**

**10.45pm**

The woman fell back in her boat. She clamped her hazel eyes tight shut. The last of her energy had given out, her waist length brown hair was black with the rain her brown wool dress was torn around the hems; the sandals she wore were plain black leather. She gazed at the sleet and spray cast from the waves throwing themselves up in frenzy about the smallish fishing boat, it seemed to signify her immanent death. Her mother had never approved of the night she had spent with Alexander the king of Macedonia, the man who ruled a kingdom that reached from the Caspian Sea right down to the land of Egypt and from the Balkans to the Himalayan Mountains. The news of his death was the cause of her painful exodus; he had collapsed during a funeral banquet and spent the night convulsing, fearing accusation of killing him with poison or some other more terrible means like...witchcraft, she had fled to the nearest seaport and stolen a boat; the Adriatic was not the best place to be in mid December during a storm.

When she saw the light her only thought was: this must be death` but the tall figure of a knight swept such thoughts from her mind. The knight was doing the impossible, he was flying! _`I don't know how, but I am saved` _Putting an arm around her waist he said "Hold on to me" At a speed she had not imagined in her most wild dreams they flew across the sea, thankfully in the direction she had been heading he`d probably assumed the direction was important, she had been out in a storm!.

In the distance the coastline of Italia made itself present he flew heading inland. After a while she lost track of time she, did not know how long they flew, but it couldn't have been to long. When they did land it was in the middle of some farmer's wheat field the farm buildings weren't far away but instead the knight headed for the barn. It was much warmer on the inside and obviously dryer. Now that she felt safe the woman finely had the chance to study the knight's appearance {and features}

He stood at a height that would have made it a difficult for him to stand in an average house and he was clad entirely in armour, The shield he carried would have broken the back of a normal man, only his eye`s showed under the grand helmet. His armour was silvery-grey splashed with red and the cape was a beautiful crimson. The crest on his chest consisted of three black triangles resting on the points of a fourth. Her voice came quietly and with apparent difficulty "Who are you?" His powerful gaze focussed on her "I am called....Gallantmon" She pondered this for a moment the name sounded strange to her but her mother had taught her manners so this was best to use them "That's a nice name; I'm Celina...Celina haron"

Galantmon nodded but his eyes looked confused "Hmm...Why were you out in that storm? What was so important that you, a young human woman would risk your life for? Celina wondered whether to tell him or not, he did not seem to be one who would take her back. "I...I am sure to be blamed for the death, of King Alexander...we spent a night together before he died" Galantmon looked interested "they would blame you, just for being seen with him, without proof?" Celina looked at the floor "I do not know for certain, but I was scared that they would." Understanding showed in the knight`s eyes "I see, where are you going?" The woman shook her head "I don`t know, anywhere but Macedonia."

Galantmon stood and began to search the barn, Celina watched him wondering what he was doing. He returned a moment later with a large wool blanket "Here, take this" Celina took the blanket and wrapped it around herself. She smiled in gratitude "Thank you." Galantmon spent a few moments thinking before saying "You may come with me, if you wish" she smiled enthusiastically "Yes! Thank you... and why were you there? And how do you fly?" His sigh conveyed regret, despair, loneliness and above all pain "it is a long story one you will not want to hear, now should we not rest so we can continue when the morning comes" Celina agreed "Yes the idea is a sensible one...but I do want to here your story" galantmon hesitated "Hmm... As you wish it started in my home... my world... the Digital world" He sat down on a bale of hay to begin his long story.

"The Digital World was...or as I should say, will be created by a team of humans who will be known as the monster makers. It is not in this world, but is connected to it in a way your race is not yet ready to understand or accept. We Digimon, digital monsters, were created to occupy that world the time of evolution in which we reached heights of power and ability not even the monster makers expected were dark times, some enemy one still unknown destroyed many of us for an unknown purpose. One day it disappeared...it crawled away to the depths from whence it came. And then, the four, the four who had reached the highest possible level of evolution, The Digimon Sovereigns. After a long time a group of Digimon was formed of many of the more powerful Digimon, over years that soon became centuries that small group, became a brotherhood, we called ourselves, The Royal Knights. For uncounted generations we had protected that land, when on a day that will never be forgotten, they came. Four dragons with amazing power led by the fourth and most powerful who was known as, Megidramon."

Celina had never heard the name before, but still it filled her with a terror that she could not explain. Gallantmon saw her reaction and gave her brisk nod "that is how all who hear his names feel, do not be ashamed" she could see nought of him but his eyes but she somehow new that he was smiling at her!...but the sadness returned when his story continued. The four Dragons were fought by all Royal Knights, and after a war that lasted a year, all but Megidramon had perished, but at a cost. The Royal Knights had been diminished. What had once been a brotherhood was know only five, Omnimon Magnamon Crusadamon Ultraforceveedramon and myself. We fought for hours losing still more comrades until it was just I and Magnamon against an almost but not quite dead Megidramon, in the last charge I managed to put my joust through his chest. But the last of my closest friends was obliterated in an instant, by the monsters crushing blow to his face! And I was left as the last of the Royal Knights" Celina sat next to him on the bale and slipped her arm around his broad shoulders "I am sorry... should not have asked you to tell this tragic tale." His gaze conveyed such warmth that Celina felt quite overwhelmed "Do not be sorry young one...and I have not yet finished. As his body broke down into the main component from which my world was formed, I saw a spark...a spark of such evil I knew that if it was left to become a part of everything as happens to all things when they die, it would cause all it touched to be as evil and twisted as Megidramon himself. So I took the spark or as it is properly named, The Hazard! And buried it deep within myself."

She felt his pain put what he had said rely bothered her "Wait...doesn't that mean you will go evil" He sighed "That is the thought my people had, and the reason I was banished to the human world, but I believe that the Honer I have and act by and the fact that my very being is pure means I will be able to control it" She breathe a silent sigh of relief "that is good..Could you explain something to me?" galantmon nodded "Yes of course" the woman looked extremely confused, and for someone in this period of time, she had a right to be "You said that you world, will!Be created by these monster makers...but that means that you are from a time, yet to come...how did you get here?" galantmon shook his head "I don't know, but I believe that it was caused by the power the hazard carries. It jolted me from one time to another whilst I was crossing over into this world" Celina frowned "Well I suppose it makes sense, I think, no, it doesn't. So anyway, what will you do now?"

He spent a few moments thinking this over a frown on what could be seen of his face. "I do not know what I should do...but I know what I should like to do" Celina`s curiosity forced her to carry on. "And what is that?" she asked staring at the knight. "When I find a place in this world that I like, I will stay there. Protecting that place will give my life, purpose" She nodded her agreement "that is a good purpose to serve, Gallantmon" Silence fell in the barn each occupant submerged in his or her own thoughts Celina`s eyes were drawn to the symbol on Gallantmons chest. "...gallantmon, what dose the symbol on your chest mean" He hesitated, this was obviously linked with his past somehow "it is the same symbol that was on the chest of Megidramon himself , all who will ever guard The Hazard will bare this mark on there bodies" That made sense, after all, he had absorbed The Hazard so the mark of it was on him, simple, but she still had one more question." why do you say `will` ever have The Hazard" Again the feeling of receiving a smile from the knight rippled threw her body "well do you expect me to carry it for all of eternity, Digimon have longer lives than humans but all things come to an end, if I die before I give The Hazard to the next barer The Hazard will infect and dominate whatever world I am in at the time of my death" She gaped at him the prospect was horrible to consider "how will you ever convince anyone to take such a thing" He did not answer at first using the time to remove his shield from its position on his left arm and prop it against the wall "I am unsure, it will be difficult but it must be done ,one day"

he reached up and firmly grasped his helmet. With a sharp tug it was removed and placed on the ground beside him. Celina absorbed his features, now that the helmet was gone she could see the red skin, the broad chin and that despite the reptilian texture to his skin he was quite handsome. He had thin snakelike lips and sharpened teeth but somehow managed to look in some way, human! He noticed her watching and she quickly lowered her gaze to the ground. "You find my face unpleasant "he said this as if reading a fact from a text book. She looked up sharply "NO! No...Um.. you have a rather nice face" This surprised him he had not often shown his face to anyone believing it to be unsightly and would never have thought a human of all beings would have liked it "I thank you...I did not think a human would like my face" She gave him her most comforting smile "well my mother all ways said not to judge someone by there face its the hart that matters from what I see, you have both." _`The poor man, he really needs someone, he saved me, he`s cute, I could be that someone _

* * *

**Banadores farm, main building, Italy: near monopoli **

**21st December 5.01am**

Shawn banadore finished off the last morsel of his breakfast and went in search of his mother. He found her in the store room organising her preshes spices "anything you need me to do mother" Without taking her eyes of the labels on her jars and boxes she said "yes dear you can get nana`s trunk out of the hayloft in the barn she wants to see all that old knitting and stuff again, you know to make sure it hasn't been stolen by elves, or monkeys you know how she is about the monkeys" Shawn shook his head "poor old nana, barmy as a bat. But still it was best to humour her, monkeys indeed!"

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**Banadores barn 5.02am**

Celina woke and focussed her eyes on gallantmon. She had told him he had a nice face, she had said he was handsome; she had thanked him for saving her....she had kissed him!

Celina sat bolt upright as she remembered this piece of information....he had kissed her back! Then she had collapsed a tired pile on the floor and instantly fallen asleep dam! she mentally cursed herself he must think I'm a fainting romantic, I wouldn't be surprised if he regarded her with scorn when he woke up

The sound of someone opening the door diverted her from her thoughts. It was a young Italian boy of around twelve with short brown hair and blue overalls. Before he could even open his mouth to ask what she was doing there, gallantmon was beside him, lance pressed to his chest. "oh-god!" he yelped "what have i done whatever it was I didn't mean it please don't kill me I'm just twelve I'm not trying to hurt you or your girl-friend there" he said all this at lightning speed, cringing back from the deadly sharp joust. "Calm down young one, I'm not going to kill you" gallantmon reassured him moving his joust away "I was but taking a precaution"

The kid breathed a huge sigh of relief "oh...thank-god!" a look of confusion passed over his face "what are you doing in the barn. If you had knocked on the door of the house we would have given you a place to stay." Celina took this opportunity to speak "sorry we just wanted a place quick and didn't want to bother you so late at night." The boy shrugged "Well we can at least give you breakfast I'll just go tell mother we have visitors" And of he went. Celina and gallantmon stayed behind, gallantmon to put on his helmet and shield, and Celina to wait for him. "Celina" oh god, he was going to tell her that he thought she was silly. "Mmm...Yes?" galantmon looked just as uncomfortable as she felt. "Why did you kiss me last night?" great he didn't think she was an idiot! "I thought it was a good idea" she gave him an impish grin "I still do, why...you rather I hadn't." He hurriedly shook his head "No!, no its not that I just wondered" now Celina felt lucky, she giggled. "Why did you kiss me back?" he winced "I..Mmm, well no, no reason" he stammered and promptly left the barn. Celina smiled "well, maybe I'm in luck."

* * *

**Banadores farm, main building**

**5.25am**

"So are you two a couple" Gallantmon [having taken his helmet off and started to eat Mrs. Banadores porridge] choked. "Huh!" Celina sniggered she considered saying yes to tease the knight but decided that was too cruel. "No were not" `not yet anyway she added silently in her mind` "That's funny" Shawn remarked "he was protecting you as if you were already husband and wife" Gallantmon having regained his usual manner of a gallant gentleman stated "I was merely doing my duty" Mrs Banadore smiled at him "that's what they all say" Gallantmon fell silent.

Mrs Banadore seemed completely unfazed by galantmons red skin, and her son just found it interesting. Mrs Banadore helped herself to a portion of the porridge and sat down "so how long do you intend to stay" she asked. "Well" Celina finished the last of her breakfast "if you would be kind enough to give us some supplies we will leave strait away." Mrs. Banadore sighed, disappointed that they weren't staying longer "Oh, well we`d be happy to give you anything you need for your journey. Where are you going anyway...if you don't mind me asking?" Celina shrugged "Well you`d have to ask gallantmon he`s leading the way" she turned to him an inquisitive expression on her face. Gallantmon looked up from his food to see that everyone was looking at him Shawn asked the question "where are you two going?" galantmon didn't even think about his answer, he just said. "Japan" This caused raised eyebrows all around especially from Celina "Huh! Why Japan" Gallantmon turned his gaze to her "I will tell you later, in private"

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**Banadore farmyard 10.30am **

Celina and gallantmon stood in the farmyard saying there goodbye`s to Shawn and his mother. Shawn ended his handshake with galantmon and said in a hushed voice "take care of your girl-friend mate" With that the boy and his mother went back into there house.

Celina couldn't stop the laugh that came when she saw galantmons face, he had such a stunned expression! Placing his helmet back on his head he mumbled "hmm poor boy must be mad, like his grandmother" Celina hefted the large pack up onto her shoulders "come on big guy, are we walkin or flyin" Gallantmon put an arm round her waist and held her to him; he simply said "flying"

"You know for a guy who is absolutely not my husband you really do like holding me don't you" His attempts at a reply sounded like someone strangling a cat. "So, why Japan" gallantmon took off and didn't reply until they were higher than the farm buildings "Because if I can think of a way to travel in time, then Japan 2006 is the place I need to be" Celina frowned "I thought you were going to find a place to live in this time" she had to hold tighter as galantmon accelerated. "I will, but if I do happen to find a way I shall live in that same place but in the future" worry struck her as she heard those words. "Would you take me with you?" he did not answer "Gallantmon?" he sighed "I...do not think it is a good idea ...you see if you stay here time is safe but if you come with me your descendants will not exists and if they were supposed to make some contribution to the world...many things will change, for the better,....or the worse!"

Celina felt hurt, would he just leave her behind? "So I couldn't come?" galantmon hesitated "No." She was angry now, this was not fair! "You would just go to another time and leave me wondering what to do!" he slowed to a halt and looked at her in confusion. "You would rather I stayed here?" How could he be so stupid? "Yes!" he shook his head "But what if the people in that time do as I believe need my help?" Why did he want so much to leave? "Well it seems to me that if it is there destiny to do, whatever it is there going to do then help will come from somewhere else" galantmon had obviously not thought about it like that "Hmm...You are right." Hope returned and tentatively she asked "So, you'll stay?" galantmon couldn't understand her insistence. "Why is that so important to you?" Celina bit her lip "Are you all right Celina?" she shook herself and took a quick shuddering breath. "Y...yes its just I thought, well...were, were friends aren't we?"

**

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****Greece: igoumenitsa: 11.25pm**

Gallantmon set down in igoumenitsa Celina was asleep in his arms she had teased him for most of the way about what that Shawn boy had said. She seemed to enjoy it the town was not a particularly large one but it still had an inn or to. The first one he came to was no more than three stories and the paint was peeling so badly that it was impossible to make out the name of the place.

Once inside though it did seem slightly better. It was the average inn nothing special a couple of tables, a fireplace, and a cross old man behind the bar. A few heads turned to watch the tall man in armour carrying a girl wearing a rather large pack. Anger left The Barman's face, fear now dominated his expression. Gallantmon went straight to the man and spoke to him directly "We need a place to spend the night" The Barman nodded "Yes...yes follow me sir" The Barman led the way along a dusty hallway and up a rather rickety flight of stairs to a door which The Barman quickly opened. Gallantmon who was still carrying Celina stepped through the door giving him a nod of thanks. Once inside gallantmon noticed one unfortunate flaw "um...there's only one bed" The Barman did not reply when gallantmon turned around he saw the man had already left, the sound of him running down the stairs could faintly be heard. Gallantmon decided it was only right that Celina had the bed he would sleep on the floor.

After making sure Celina was comfortable on the bed gallantmon sat himself down on the floor his head resting on one of the bedposts. The blankets rustled behind him as Celina awoke and propped herself up on her elbow. "Gallantmon" He cursed himself for waking her with his movements "I am here" She stared at him in total confusion "why are you on the floor" she asked him "Because, Celina there is only one bed!" Celina rolled her eyes "Gallantmon don't be a fool there's more than enough room for the two of us" A tired sigh escaped his lips "Celina why do you tease me in this manner." Celina left the bed and wrapped herself around him "because you big fool, I have been trying to catch your attentions right from when I decided you needed someone to keep you company, after the loses you have had, you need someone to love you. And you did save my life. You're just too modest and noble to recognise a woman trying to get you interested!"

Gallantmon was shocked "are you saying tha..." Celina interrupted him. "That your gorges honest kind lovely, yes! I`m even saying that, if you want it, I'll give you my love..." Gallantmons mind was in a mess, this was a big deal. Especially from a human, what would he say, she was beautiful she was kind and had loving nature, did he like her...yes he did. "Celina...I could not refuse you if I were threatened with the fires of hell." The smile on her lips was the most wonderful he had seen in his long life, the kiss they shared the warmest, and that moment...the best!

* * *

**9.00am**

They woke late due to the time they had spent awake the previous day they were {as would be expected for new lovers} both naked. Celina pressed herself closer to gallantmon "hmmm...." she sighed a satisfied sigh "so, what's the plan for today gallantmon?" He smiled at her "that all depends on you, dose Japan still sound all right?" A frown crossed her face "as long as you don't try to get back to the future" Gallantmon gave her a comforting hug "I swear on my Honer I shall not leave this time-period" Celina gave him a warm smile. "Well then my love...Japan sounds great!"

* * *

**12 months later: Japan: Kyoto **

The baby girl was as beautiful as could possibly be expected she slept in her mothers arms who gazed with joy at the being she and the father created. Gallantmon sat next to Celina holding out his arms, letting her place his daughter in there strong but gentle embrace, he too felt joy beyond measure, a joy that was marred by one worry. Gallantmon worried for his Childs future, and that of her descendants. The source of this worry was a mark, a mark on her chest, a mark that represented The Hazard!

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**Zandermon: Well I'm sure we all understand why gallantmon is so worried **

**Angewomon: yea I'd hate it if our kids got infected with the hazard, I mean look at Megidramon that guys a bastard **

**Zandermon: [gawps] who says were having kids**

**Angewomon: [frowns] we`d better**

**Zandermon: [goes white] Ok, sure...well.** **The next chapter will be called: beginning`s:...yes I know...not the most original of names but it works**

**Angewomon: So see you next time **

**Zandermon: and please review **


	2. Beginnings

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Zandermon: Here it is tamer fans! The first official chapter of Tamers; Guardian Of The Hazard

**Angewomon: and what a chapter it is**

**Zandermon: I would like to thank ****blazing chaos**** for writing his wonderful story dimensions. Reading it inspired me to write a fanfiction. This might not be the best you will ever read but I would appreciate any comments you might have good or bad. Anything you want too suggest that might make my writing more readable I don't know anything! I am good at taking advice. To be honest I just want reviews.**

**Angewomon: so let the chapter commence**

**Zandermon: ****yea!**

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**Tamers: Guardian of The hazard [chapter 01: beginings]**

**Japan: Tokyo: Shinjuku January 15th 2006**

**10.16pm**

The night was calm and the silence sweet. Silence that is except for the low humming sound emitting from a thick white fog in the centre of an empty street. The fog was familiar to the girl who stood just outside she knew it to be a digital field a gateway to our world from the digital plane.

The girl who looked about fourteen wore blue jeans that were rolled up at the ankle, along with brown trainers and a white shirt that had short blue sleeves and a broken blue hart on the chest. Attached to her belt was a tightly closed up pouch. She had a slender waist and was moderately attractive. Her hair was red and she wore it in a spiked ponytail that made her look like she was wearing a pineapple for a hat.

Her eyes were violet; her young face looked determined and cold. In her hands was her Digivice, she told anyone who asked {which was just her mother and grandmother} that it was _`one of those new music players' _and no more questions were asked. It did look like a music player anyway. The digivice was blue with silver trimming and buttons, along one side it had a paper thin slot which she now stroked with an amused smirk on her face. "

Renamon!" she called summoning her Digimon partner from the shadows. Renamon, as she was called, was a rookie level Digimon. She was humanoid but her form was distinctly foxlike. She had yellow fur that turned white over her belly chest and groin. The fur on her chest was much thicker than anywhere else on her body.

She wore tight purple gloves on her three fingered hands both with the symbol for the yin yang on the back of the hands. The white fur showed up again on her slender agile legs it ran from the tips of her toes to just under her knees "Yes rika" her voice was smooth calm and dangerous.

Rika Nonaka smiled a cold smile "let's go have some fun."

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**Inside the digital field**

The creature slowly materialised in the centre of the field. The digital world was a harsh and dangerous place, but she was strong, the fact she had made it to the human world was proof of this....but was she as strong as the creature following her? Her name was Gatomon she was a knee high catlike Digimon. Her fur was pure white. Her bright green eyes sparkled in the light of the field.

Strangely for a cat {perhaps as strange as for a fox} she wore gloves they were yellow with two red stripes across the back. Her tail was long and white with purple at the tip, the ears also were purple tipped the inside being bright pink.

But what was following her...in her desperation to escape that world she had refused to look back, had kept her eyes strait ahead as she had ran through the dimensional rift. Her fur prickled as she sensed her pursuer entering this world...right behind her, she bolted out of the field as fast as her four paws would allow...and as fortune would have it she had run in the opposite direction to the sector of the field that, right at that very moment rika and Renamon had entered.

* * *

Rika could see the air warping as the new Digimon came through its size was impressive, but rika had seen bigger. The thing was a large red incectoid Digimon mostly like a beetle, the large shell on its back opened up revealing four huge transparent wings. It had no visible eyes on its rather disgusting face but the pincers on either side of its massive mouth could have cut through steel.

The beetle had six long tuff looking arms ending in three fingered hands that were more on the side of claws. Completing this image was the two humongous legs on which it stood the feet had two foot long toes each, and a large claw on the heel to give the beast its balance.

Rika raised her digivice and selected the status option from the main menu. A rotating 3D image of the Digimon came up on the screen beside it was the information she wanted. "Kuwagamon champion level, attacks are??? And??? This one looks pretty pissed off Renamon, someone probably came between him and his dinner" rika`s lips curled in a small smile "Renamon...lets put him out of his misery."

"As you wish" to rika and kuwagamon she seemed to fade out of existence, but for Renamon the world went black and purple haze surrounded her target. Renamon blinked back into vision...right behind kuwagamon`s head. Renamon delivered a powerful kick to kuwagamon`s scull, sending the Digimon crashing to the ground.

Kuwagamon quickly recovered and made a lunge for Renamon, trapping her in his pincers. Rika barely batted an eyelid, she simply reached for her waist and opened the pouch revealing its contents, they were the cards from the Digimon game. Carefully selecting one from the many cards the pouch held she raised her digivice over her head and swiped the card through its slot.

"**Digi-Modify...Kabuterimons Electro Shocker Activate!"**

Renamon felt the new more powerful energy course through her body. She took a firm grip on kuwagamon`s pincers and directed that power into his jaws. Kuwagamon recoiled from the bolt of electricity Renamon had fired, in his pained confusion he released Renamon and failed to notice her preparing her attack.

Once free of his grip Renamon had leapt high into the air her arms folded across her chest...all around her shards of light materialised out of the thin air.

"**Diamond Storm!"**

With that she stretched her arms out to either side casting the hundreds of shards at the speed of light, into the body of kuwagamon. His form warped and flickered, with a mighty roar of pain kuwagamon`s body exploded dispersing fragmented data in all directions.

At a nod from her tamer Renamon absorbed the data allowing it to build up her body`s defences, to increase the ferocity of her attacks, and to boost her health. Rika yawned "that was too easy...let's go Renamon" As they left Renamon felt a prickling sensation run through her...as if she were being watched.

* * *

**Shinjuku; matsuki bakery: 10.27pm **

Takato matsuki opened his hazel eyes and sat bolt upright. "Wow that was, so, awesome! He got out of bed and crossed the room to the writing desk his parents had bought him for his fourteenth birthday three days ago, opening the top draw on the right he removed his notepad and pencils to begin his drawing.

Things like that really sparked his imagination and he knew he would not be able to sleep until it had been satisfied.

His notepad was full of drawings of Digimon both real and his own about halfway through the book he came to his pride and joy,"guilmon" he grinned with a renewed pride, the same he had felt when he had finished it only twelve hours before in school he had only just managed to stop his teacher tearing the thing apart {he was supposed to be doing math at the time.} Except now it didn't feel quite finished, what did it need?

Guilmon was a red dinosaur Digimon, like a cross between a raptor and a smallish tyrannosaurus his red skin was striped black on the biceps and calves his on the hands and feet were long and sharp his ears resembled fins {Takato could not think why he had done that} his chest was white as was his stomach, there were two more black stripes on his tail, he had amber eyes that would have burned through you at a glance. Three claws per foot the same for his hands...what was missing!

It struck him lick a thunderclap "yea...that's it!" He took up a black pencil and added the necessary adjustments to the picture now on guilmons chest was a symbol, the same one Takato had had on his chest since birth....it was The Hazard. Takato continued drawing late into the night, now happy with guilmon he began on the champion form, but what to call it?

* * *

**6.30am**

Takato awoke at his writing desk, his head resting on a pile of discarded guilmon digivolutions. He ran a hand through his brown hair and decided he needed a shower before school

* * *

6**.31am alleyway {coincidentally an alley right next to the matsuki bakery} **

Gatomon shook her head to get rid of the drowsiness that clouded her mind. A smell wafted by her nose, her whiskers twitched as she tried to puzzle out its source. The smell guided her to the glass swing door of the bakery; it was definitely coming from in there. Mr Matsuki was reading the Japan times behind the counter waiting for the first of today's customers Gatomon sneaked by him into the back room

* * *

**6.37am **

Takato left the bathroom with a towel round his waist, rubbing his hair dry with another. After walking across the hall to his bedroom he discarded both the towels and began to look for clean clothes {clean meaning less than a week being worn.}

Once he had on his black jeans white shirt and the blue jacket which was left unzipped as usual he plucked his black rimmed Speedo goggles from the peg on the back of the door. "And now..." ha said to the mirror on his wall "...I am ready to face anything the world gives me!"

* * *

**6.39am**

Gatomon breathed a sigh of relief as Mrs. Matsuki went into the front part of the building to speak with her husband, and jumped down from the cabinet she had been hiding on...and came face to face with a rather surprised looking Takato who had just entered the room via the second door. "Damn..." was the only thing she could say. Were as Takato said "Gatomon!" the cat Digimon was shocked!

"Wha? How do you know my name?" Takato took his backpack from the corner of the room were he had left it the previous day "I'll explain later, get in the bag" Gatomon hesitated `how did this human know her, and what did he want. It was the sound of Takato`s mother coming back that convinced her. She jumped into the bag seconds before Mrs. Matsuki entered the room.

"Oh good morning Takato"

"Hey mom, uh do you mind me taking some of the day old bread"

"Of course I don't mind dear but not to much, I don`t want you getting sick"

"Thanks'"

* * *

**Outside the bakery: 7.04am**

Once out of sight of his parents Takato let Gatomon out of the backpack and handed her a seeded bun from a paper bag he had brought the bread in "so..Uh are you really a Digimon or am I going insane?" shook her head. "Well the insane part is debatable but I am a Digimon, now how do you know what I am?" Takato chuckled "Your kidding right, you must know about the TV show, the cards?"

Gatomon shrugged her shoulders "Nope, never, ugh just forget it, it probably doesn't matter. Anyway thanks for the...um...uh...Thingy" she gestured at the bread "Its called bread Gatomon and your welcome" They walked in silence for a while. "So, what's your name then?" he grinned at her "I'm Takato, Takato matsuki"

"Nice so what do you think I should do now"

"What do you mean?" he asked "Well...I finely managed to get here last night but I don't know what to do now that I am here" Takato rubbed the back of his head and thought carefully about his answer "I see...well I don't know...in the show Digimon in the human world are usually partnered with a digidestined human. Maybe that's what you should do. Find a partner."

"Hmm..."

* * *

**Shinjuku park 7.24am**

Gatomon having gone back into the bag while Takato was walking the busy streets of Tokyo leapt out as soon as they were far enough in to be concealed from the streets. "Hey Takato I've been thinking about the whole partner thing and it sounds a god idea I suppose but what dose been partnered with a human really mean. Will I have to follow orders or go every were he or she goes, come on fill me in"

"Well Gatomon it is mostly just being friends but you get to fight together and have fun. You even get to digivolve"

"Could anyone be my partner?"

"I think so but you would need to be friends with them first, and they would have to care for you and be your friend."

They walked in silence again until they reached a clearing in the centre off the park where there were a few benches. The one closest to them had long since been vandalised but across the other side was a relatively new one. When they sat down Gatomon started to speak again but was interrupted by a sound like a sonic boom.

On the ground in the middle of the clearing a patch of light the size of a car had appeared the ground seemed to be pulled into it. Takato stared at it utterly transfixed Gatomon trembled `what if it was stronger than her" Fog emerged from the hole and static filled the air as the digital field completed itself, a silhouette of a man sitting on a horse appeared deep inside.

"**Solar Ray!"**

A beam of energy was fired fro the field seemingly from the man hitting the ground in front of them flinging them back and obliterating the bench, Takato hit his head on the ground and blacked out, Gatomon ran to his side "Takato!" she saw blood on his head she stared angrily at the silhouette in the field.

"Takato...oh damn, are you going to pay for that!"

The Digimon came towards them, his arm raised. As he stepped out of the field Gatomon observed his form.

From inside the field he had looked like a man on a horse but now she could see that he was a centaur. His brown horse body wore purple armour on its legs and back, his human half also had armour, on his shoulders and chest. The arm that was being pointed at then was the right one, and from the hand extended a silver mesh tube.

It was from this the attack that had hurt Takato had been fired. He wore a helmet and through the open visor a single red eye was visible

_`Damn`_ she thought to herself _`a centaurumon`_

The centaurumon advanced charging his solar ray. But Gatomon struck first, jumping onto centaurumons back and swiping her clawed hand across his spine. But the damage inflicted was only a flesh wound. Centaurumon shook her off of his back and aimed his blaster at her.

"**Solar Ray!" **

Gatomon moved just in time rolling underneath him and attacking his legs. Centaurumon came crashing down just as Gatomon moved out of the way. He kept on firing his solar ray forcing her to duck and weave through the blasts, unable to get to cover as he sent a highly charged blast in her way whenever she tried. Eventually centaurumon got a lucky hit striking Gatomon right in the chest.

She lay there unable to move as centaurumon raised himself onto his three undamaged legs {the fourth was dragging behind him as he moved, taking aim for the last shot. Gatomon closed her eyes, not wanting to look death in the face.

* * *

The world was dark, so dark it seemed that the darkness was devouring the light before it could be seen by any living being. Takato felt the fog slowly lift from his mind, he felt... detached, out of synch with the rest of reality. He opened his eyes and observed his surroundings [or at least he thought he did, it would be more accurate to say that he opened his mind`s eye and surveyed his own thoughts and emotions from a distance] crimson lightning sparked in the air around him intensifying as he became more aware, almost as if the lightning was awakening with him.

Takato snorted indignantly _`Well, I know I haven't exactly led a perfect life, but come on! Do I really deserve hell!?" _The voice that answered him was kind but somehow hard at the same time _`you are not in hell Takato; you are not yet dead` _although he did not understand his situation, Takato felt that he could trust the voice, it sounded... familiar, as if he had known it all of his life.

_`Who are you__**? ` **_There was a pause, as if the voice was considering the answer _`I am... a concerned relative` _Takato raised his eyebrows _`and you are in my head why? ` _There was no answer, it was like the voice had packed up and left.

"I am here to help" Takato span around, realising that the voice was now coming from a specific direction.

The figure stood close enough that he could see the general shape [that of a tall man in armour] but still far enough that no details could be seen. Takato was still curios about the man but something told him that was not important right at that moment "How can you help?" the figure hardly moved as it spoke "I can help with many things, but for now the strength to tackle that Digimon will do."

* * *

She opened her eyes at a pained roar from centaurumon and stared at the amazing scene that met her..Takato had come to and rammed centaurumon sending him back to the ground now he held centaurumons arms behind his back preventing him from firing his attacks, unbeknown to anyone present [including the boy in question] the hazard insignia glowed a blood red, centaurumon struggled against him but Takato kept a firm grip. "Gatomon!" Takato yelled snapping her out of the dazed dream she had fallen into. She got to her feet ready to attack,

"**Lightning Claw!" **

Her paw crackled with energy as she sliced it across centaurumons exposed underside. His data burned away from the three long gashes in his stomach, now his writhing was in pain and the screaming was painful to the ear. As the last of his body broke down the broken particles of his data flew towards Gatomon and she absorbed them gladly `they had won`

she smiled happily at The boy "thanks Takato" He rubbed his head were it had hit the ground drawing away his hand he stared at the blood "yeh...Um your welcome, thank you too" They shook hands {Takato with the one not covered with blood} Takato now a bit more right in the head, grinned at Gatomon "we sorta make a good team don't we"

Gatomon nodded her agreement a similar grin on her face "yeh, we do" They were distracted from this happy moment by the ball of white energy that had slowly been forming on the ground between them. It rose into the air toward Takato`s hand. As soon as he caught it, it began to morph into a new shape when it had finished Takato held in his hand...a white digivice with purple trimmings and buttons. Gatomon looked at it with a bemused expression "Takato what is that?" He stared at it in amazement "I think...; it's a digivice! Gatomon this is amazing, were partners!"

* * *

Ms Asaji sighed why was it they to wait for all the students to be here before starting, Takato never listened anyway **`Bang! ` **The door swung open hitting the wall as Takato matsuki entered the class he went straight to his desk letting the door swing shut itself.

There seemed to be something wrong with him today, he didn't even greet his friends when they waved, he seemed completely out of it Ms Asaji noticed this and decided to ask "Takato are you all right?" he didn't answer just stared at the desk Ms Asaji sighed for the second time in five minuets "someone tap him on the shoulder"

A brown haired girl in a green skirt and black t-shirt whose name was Jeri obliged giving him a pat on the back "Takato?" Takato shook his head and blinked his eyes "um...eh, yeh what is it Jeri?" She pointed at there teacher "ms asaji was talking to you. He turned to ms asaji "sorry what were you saying"

"I was saying are you all right?" Takato grinned at her "ms asaji I am better than I ever have been in my whole life"

* * *

**Shinjuku School: dinner hall: 12.14**

Takato sat with his friend's Kazu Kenta and Jeri explaining to them in a hushed voice about the Digimon dream, Gatomon, and the fight, so far no one believed him.

"Come on chumly none of us believe you so give up all ready" kazu, a thirteen year old boy with brown hair that was always covered with a cap. He wore camouflage shorts and black shirt with a scull and crossbones logo, his trainers were also black and he wore an unzipped camouflage jacket.

"yeh Takato I mean its a cool story but so unbelievable" Kenta was thirteen as well a boy with black-green hair and thick glasses, he wore a navy blue shirt with black trousers his shoes were rather battered brown ones with a Nike tick on the side.

"Um Takato i don't want to be rude but it is kind of hard to believe" Jeri was the same age as Takato and had a small crush on him. Takato grinned "as soon as school finishes I'll show you proof" Kazu groaned "yea sure Takato"

* * *

**Shinjuku park tennis pitch 4.15pm**

Takato pushed open the gate to the enclosed field "come on guys follow me" he led them inside. Gatomon was on the opposite side of the field playing with one of the many green balls. When she saw them she immediately relocated to Takato`s shoulder "hey Takato" she greeted him "who are gawpermon" the three behind Takato [who had indeed been gawping] closed there mouths quickly.

"These are my friends Kazu Kenta and Jeri" he motioned to each one as he said there name. Jeri was the first to shake off the shock and shake Gatomon`s paw "I am officially a believer" she said with a smile. Kazu and kanta also shook hands but neither were able to speak and so a natural silence fell that was soon broken by Gatomon "so when do we eat?"

* * *

**Takato`s room 7.45pm**

Gatomon lay on Takato's bed surfing the net on his laptop. She had found great many sites about Digimon but the one she was currently on was her favourite. She gazed at the picture of the rosemon taking a shower under a waterfall with a monochromon. And the next one...angewomon with devimon, she suddenly felt envious of that angewomon `I want to look like that`

She was tapped on the shoulder from behind, she turned with a start. It as Takato, grinning like an idiot "Gatomon you've been in this world for one day and you've already discovered porn!" Gatomon blushed {although it was hardly visible under her fur} "is that a bad thing?" Takato shook his head still smiling "not at all, in fact i actually wondered how long it would take for you to realise that there weren't any male Digimon here and started looking for this stuff to replace it"

Gatomon felt like she had been slapped in the face, there were no other Digimon, not that she had seen anyway "oh god! I`m gonna be a virgin for life!" Takato was startled "ah...I suppose you hadn't realised yet" Gatomon fainted on the spot. He pulled the cover over her and went to his writing desk taking his digivice out of his pocket and sitting down to examine it.

It seemed familiar like he had seen it somewhere before. Suddenly the previous nights dream flashed through his head "wow...this thing...it's just like hers!" Deciding to experiment with digivice he opened the bottom draw of the desk and picked out a card before swiping it through the slot

"**Digi-Modify...Recharge activate!"**

Across the other side of the room on the bed Gatomon sat up blinking "wow...I feel like I just ate a whole bag of sugar!" She bounded over to him sitting on the desk next to his notebook "what did you do?" Takato stared at her, it had actually worked "well..I just swiped this card through her" he said gesturing to the slot. Gatomon raised an eyebrow "so you just stick a piece of paper in that thing and whatever is written on it happens...that's kind of cool. Why don't you try drawing your own?"

Takato chuckled "I don't think that would.....wait" he went through his notebook and tore out the pages with the guilmon pictures and stats "i don't have a clue why I'm even bothering to try this but if it dose work....." Gathering the A5 sheets he slid each one through the slot one after another. With each one scanned the screen grew brighter. By the time he had sent all of them through, the screen was pure white. As Takato held it the digivice seemed to grow hotter, within the minute it was to hot to hold and he had to put it down. Gatomon gawped at it "Takato... I think you broke it"

They watched as the light on the screen separated itself from the digivice entirely and took a new shape, that shape grew until it reached the size of a football....the light faded, and now the human and Digimon were looking at a black and red striped egg. "is that what I think it is?" asked Takato. Completely stunned Gatomon licked her lips "if you think it's a digiegg...then yes" she moved forward and slowly stroked the egg.

Takato looked at the drawings he had dropped and were now scattered over the floor around him "then the Digimon in that egg...is guilmon!" "Hey Takato!" Gatomon had a sly look on her face "if it came out of my digivice...dose that make me a mom?" she was suppressing fits of laughter. Takato made a strangled sound in his throat "...of...of course not" Gatomon couldn't stop a small giggle "good. Because that would make you fa....." Takato interrupted her.

"Don't you even start! Going down that road Gatomon!" Gatomon couldn't hold her laughing any longer bursting into a fit that lasted a whole minute and left her crying. When she could speak again she said "don't worry Takato it doesn't even slightly mean that, I just like messing with your mind" she gave him a seductive smile before telling him in a crooning voice "and I do such a gooood job."

Takato spent the next hour having a very! Cold shower.

* * *

Outside the bakery Renamon stared up at the window of Takato`s room...and smiled "rika will be pleased"

* * *

**Nonaka household: bathroom 7.50pm**

Rika's shower was a lot warmer than Takato`s `I wonder what happened to that Digimon this morning` she thought as she rubbed soap over her chest`it was gone when I got there`

Renamon fazed into the room with a air of achievement "rika" Rika washed the soap off the soap and turned off the shower "pass me a towel Renamon" Renamon did as she was told passing her tamer large purple towel "rika I have something important to tell you" Rika raised an eyebrow "what is that?"

Renamon wasted no time in telling her what she had found "this morning a Digimon Bioemerged but was gone before we got there. It seems that it was destroyed by a Digimon and tamer...I could sense a strange but powerful energy signature" Rika did not let her surprise show "and..." Renamon continued "last night two Digimon Bioemerged. The first ran from the scene immediately and the second was the kuwagamon we fought." Rika nodded "so you're saying that the first Digimon last night has found a tamer?"

"I am...and I found were they live, and the identity of this new tamers Digimon"

"Really?"

"Yes they are at the matsuki bakery in Shinjuku, the Digimon is a Gatomon" Rika`s smile was the usual, arctic wind kind "well that should be interesting"

* * *

**Takato`s room 9.27am**

The sole occupants of Takato`s room were Gatomon and the egg. Takato had gone to school leaving Gatomon to look after the egg and read her way through his entire bookshelf. Overnight Gatomon had developed a taste for reading, but her current book was giving her the mother of all headaches. It was terry Pratchett`s the colour of magic.

Gatomon put the book down and rubbed her temples "my god...a disk shaped world on the back of four elephants that stand for all eternity on the back of a giant turtle flying through space. That's not fiction that's bloody weird!"

She shifted her position on the bed stroking her belly and deciding to keep trying with the book `it can't get much weirder can it` unfortunately as she picked the book back up, her tail caught the egg knocking it to the floor it rolled right across the room and hit the wall with a loud thump. "Oh Damn!"

Gatomon leapt across the room to the egg checking its entire surface for cracks...and she found one, a large apparently deep crack along one side. "Oh Crap!" taking the egg back to the bed and laying it on the pillow she wondered what effect the crack would have on the baby Digimon when it hatched if any. The egg seemed to be shaking as if it were afraid or distressed. Gatomon stroked the egg along its crack wondering if that would soothe the unborn Digimon.

Instead it just shook harder. Gatomon had never looked after a digiegg before and neither new what was happening or why. The crack on the egg began to widen, new cracks spread from the first and yet more from those. Gatomon watched in wonder as she finely realised what the egg was doing. Pieces of the egg fell away from the rest as the child made its way into a brave new world. Gatomon gazed at the strange new thing with wonder and a sparkle in her eyes there was not much of the baby Digimon but all of it was cute and Gatomon was rely a softie at hart.

The baby was simply a small red/brown blob with big black eyes little bat-like ears and a friendly smile on its small mouth. Gatomon had an overpowering urge to hug the Digimon...but the newborn had already fallen asleep. Gatomon tucked the Digimon under the blanket and swept the eggshell into a plastic bag which she hid under the bed from Takato`s mom

* * *

**Matsuki bakery 11.58am**

It was lunchtime and the baby Digimon had woken up hungry so Gatomon had decided to slip downstairs and `borrow` some of the bread. Upon her arrival back in the room after a very successful bread stealing run she pulled back the blanket and found... nothing, the baby was gone. Gatomon franticly searched the room for the child Digimon, looking under the bed, behind and in the wardrobe, and in each draw of Takato`s desk before running to look out of the window

`could it have survived that fall` she wondered `its petty bouncy, like a rubber ball so maybe. Gatomon ran down the stairs sneaking past Takato`s mother and father and out the front door. `Were would a baby Digimon go` she pondered `its new so it will probably go for whatever interests it... but what interests a red bouncy blob?` she thought about this for a moments and sighed `answer... anything and everything.`

* * *

**Takato`s school 3.00pm**

Takato ran out of the school gates with kazu, Kenta, and Jeri in tow. Once past the gate he turned right heading for the park...and tripped over a panicking Gatomon. The group of humans stared at her stupidly before Takato remembered how to speak. "Um...Gatomon I thought you were going to watch the egg?"

As Takato had explained about the egg to his friends already they showed no surprise at his words, but excitement was painted across each face. Gatomon took a deep breath and spoke quickly "that's the problem it's not an egg anymore it hatched it's a small blob thing now and it ran away and I've been searching all day I can't find it Oh Damn!"

Takato went white _`come on Takato keep calm we`ll find and everything will be ok`..._**"YOU LOST THE BABY DIGIMON...HOW THE HELL DID THAT HAPPEN!" **Everyone backed away and covered there ears when Takato shouted, apart from Gatomon who hid behind Jeri`s leg. Once Takato had calmed down and Gatomon had braved coming out from behind Jeri, Takato said "all right i think we should all split up and look for the Digimon, it cant be hard to spot a red blob of jelly with ears"

* * *

**Shinjuku park 3.00pm**

At this time the blob-like Digimon was being fed with peanut butter sandwiches by a young couple on a picnic. They were about 19 or 20, the woman had waist length blond hair and green eyes were as the man was the opposite. He had short black hair and brown eyes.

They both wore very similar clothes, as this was a t-shirt and very plain trousers. The woman was unable to take her eyes off what she had referred to upon finding it as a _`beautiful little thing that I just want to hug` _

This statement had made the man sick to his stomach and deliberately looked in any direction but the one in which the Digimon sat, although he had agreed with his wife when she had asked he thought of the creature as a `pathetic waste of good peanut butter sandwiches. Janice Jordan finely managed to rip her gaze away from the sandwich eater lock her eyes on her husband. He fidgeted uncomfortably "what?" Janice raised her eyebrows "what do you mean what...Robert, this little thing isn't ours" Robert silently thanked god for that blessing "yes so do you want me to do"

"I think we should find whoever it dose belong to and return it to Th....." a flash of light from the direction of the creature distracted her from what she had been saying. The little blob had disappeared...in its place was a slightly larger oblong blob with the same eyes ears and mouth, but now it had short stumpy legs and a little red tail. Robert shook his head "whatever this freaky thing is...it sure grows fast."

* * *

**3.04pm**

The small in-training sat in Roberts arms as he and his wife searched for his...`owners`. Of the great many incoherent thoughts that ran through his young mind, two thought`s seemed to be the most important to the Digimon. _`I'm hungry` _and _`peanut butter _So when Robert put him down to fasten his laces the in-training decided to act upon these two objectives. When Janice turned to see what her husband was doing, she noticed the lack of a certain cute blob "rob...where is it?"

Robert replied with a single word that should never be typed so i will replace it with this **"! £!$%*&!!?!!!!!!!"**

* * *

**Shinjuku Park: playing field: 3.06pm**

The in-training sniffed the backpack that had been left on the ground by one of the boys who now played football "Hey you! Get away from my bag! Whatever you are!" one of the larger boys ran over and kicked the Digimon in its side sending the little thing flying into a tree. When it stood up and saw all the boy`s laughing there heads off, he began to shake with anger...And was bathed in a bright red light.

"_**Gigimon digivolve to... Guilmon!"**_

When the light faded, the no longer laughing boys found themselves looking at something they perceived as a monster {which in a manner of speaking it was} In real life guilmon was the same size as the boys his angry eyes were now locked on. Crimson fire filled his mouth as he summoned his attack.

"**Pyro Sphere!"**

A huge ball of red flames burst from his mouth hitting the ground beside the boys. Guilmon did not need to use a second attack, as every single one of the players was now heading home as fast as there legs would carry them {many with wet shorts} Guilmon grinned, and started to search the bag for the food it contained.

* * *

**Shinjuku park 5.06pm**

"Hey Gatomon!, have you found him!"

"No!" came the reply from deep in the bushes "he`s not here!...DAMN IT!" being rather confused Takato asked "what`s wrong!"

"**I Just Damn! Told You The Damn! Digi-Baby Is NOT HERE!" **Takato sighed, the search was not going well and they had barely searched half of the park, and the others had already gone home, but would help him search tomorrow.

"**Pyro Sphere!"**

Takato`s eyes widened "that's guilmons attack...he`s evolved again

* * *

**Shinjuku Park: playing field: 5.07pm**

The sandwiches had not lasted long, nor had they satisfied guilmons hunger. But food didn`t interest him now, what he was interested in was the source of the smell that filled his sensitive nostril's. It was a sweet smell, sweet and somehow...warm. Guilmon couldn`t think what it could be, but he soon found out. He decided the smell was coming from behind him, and when he turned he found....Renamon.

Rika, who stood behind her, said "that doesn't look like a Gatomon to me Renamon" Renamon shook her head "it is not, but the Gatomon is somewhere near, until we find it I'm sure this one will d!... She broke off in surprise when guilmon sniffed her, between the legs. Guilmon had found the source of the smell. Before he could blink guilmon found himself being propelled face first into yet another tree while Renamon blushed under her fur.

* * *

**5.08pm**

Takato ran through the last line of trees to be met with an unusual sight...an upside-down guilmon leaning against a tree while being confronted by an angry {and embarrassed} Renamon. Gatomon arrived behind him breathing heavily from the run. Renamon saw her, and smiled "there she is rika" Rika`s face was un readable. Addressing Takato she said "so...your there tamer" After Takato got over the initial shock of seeing a girl from his dreams he realised that she had spoken to him.

"Um...sorry what did you say?" Rika rolled her eyes at the boy "I said are you there tamer!" Takato nodded his head "yeah I'm there tamer" she nodded, looking a bit bored "Well get out your digivice and let's fight" He removed his digivice from his pocket and headed for guilmon "Uh...just wait a sec will you" wondering if he would get a second digivice, or something else. No more than a pace away from guilmon his digivice emitted a high pitched beeping, as he watched the digivice in confusion, the colours began to change. When it was finished Takato matsuki was left with a black and purple digivice.

He smiled patting guilmon on the head "nice to meet you boy" Guilmon smiled to and responded with the most important words in his small vocabulary "I'm hungry" They were interrupted by a retching sound from rika "Are you going to take much longer because i don't have all day"

"Okay okay" Takato grinned "don`t get your panties in a twist" he blushed as sudden and detailed thoughts of rika`s panties filled his mind.

"Oh for goodness sake!" Renamon slapped her forehead "let's just get this over with!" and leapt into the air summoning her diamond storm attack.

* * *

**Zandermon: well that's that for this chapter!**

**Angewomon: yea and you've gone and done a cliff-hanger**

**Zandermon: only because azulongmon wanted me to **

**Angewomon: why would he want that?**

**Zandermon: i don't know maybe he likes them, it doesn't matter anyway, any fan of the show will probably know what's going to happen anyway**

**Angewomon: but this is a fanfiction for all they know you could be planning to kill guilmon **

**Zandermon: [grins] would i do that**

**Angewomon:[sighs] whatever...so why do you do what azulongmon says anyway?**

**Zandermon: are you kidding! He`s a mega. If I didn't he could squash me... so anyway, please review**

* * *


	3. Friends

_**{Ladydevimon enters room and discards all her chains on the floor before sitting down on the purple plush couch}**_

**Ladydevimon: Hi...where are Zandermon and angewomon you ask...to be honest I don't have a clue **

_**{Door open's}**_

**Ladydevimon: oh, here they are **

_**{Zandermon enters room and sits on couch followed by angewomon who gawps at ladydevimon}**_

**Angewomon: what is she doing here!**

**Ladydevimon**_** {smirks}**_** I want to be here...and Zandermon invited me**

**Angewomon: **_**{groans} **_**great...invite my evil twin sister, I don't care **_**{sits on Zandermon`s lap with arm around him} **_**but he`s mine So don't touch him!**

**Zandermon **_**{flinches}**_** I didn't know she was your sister...anyway the next chapter is here... finely. Sorry about the long delay, i just haven't had much time to write whilst i was on holiday. Now, I have been forgetting something for the last few chapters that i have been told is very important. The disclaimer, so which one of you is going to do it **

**Ladydevimon: me!**

**Zandermon: okay shoot**

**Ladydevimon: [grins] Zandermon doesn't own me...although I wish he did [gives Zandermon a quick kiss on the lips] neither dose he own angewomon or anything Digimon related**

**Angewomon: ok. Now start the chapter so i can kill her!**

* * *

**Tamers: Guardian of The hazard [chapter 02: friends]**

**Japan: Tokyo: Shinjuku park playing field: January 16th 2006**

**5.13pm**

"**Diamond Storm!"**

Gatomon jumped out of the way, preparing herself for a battle. Guilmon however did not move as the diamond shards landed around him, some even hit him directly but he didn't even flinch. Guilmons eyes glowed yellow as he went feral.

"**Pyro Sphere!"**

* * *

Not far away from there a 14 year old boy named Henry Wong heard the sounds of the battle. Henry was a blue haired half Chinese half Japanese boy of about the same height as Takato, he wore an orange jacket over a black shirt, and he also wore dark blue trousers and white trainers with green toes and an extremely full backpack. His eyes widened with surprise at the sound. "What the hell..." And he ran towards the noise.

* * *

The attack missed Renamon by a hair and collided with a tree. Rika pulled out her digivice and waited for guilmons data to appear "the hell! Renamon it won't tell me anything" Renamon was knocked to the ground and only just managed to stop guilmon ripping her throat out "rika slash a card!" Rika gritted her teeth "I know what I'm doing!"

"**Digi-Modify...Hyper Speed Activate!**"

The next thing anyone new Renamon was on the opposite side of the field readying her diamond storm.

"Stop Now!!!...

Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and turned to see the new arrival. Henry Wong wore an angry expression on his face "why the hell are you all fighting, there`s no need for it" rika frowned "Yea, what would you know?" this was getting boring "Way too much in my opinion" said a muffled voice from henrys backpack "Terriermon!" Henry groaned as the source of the voice emerged from the bag.

Terriermon was a small about knee height dog/bunny who stood on his two short hind leg`s. He was mostly a creamy white colour but there was a band of green on each arm and leg, and there were two on each of his foot long ears.

Rika stared in surprise, _`another one...Digimon are practically becoming common` _Takato and Gatomon were also surprised, but for a different reason "Gatomon, I know that guy from school!" Gatomon nodded "yea, and I saw that terriermon this morning when i was looking for guilmons baby stage. Henry looked to terriermon "you were supposed to be at home." Terriermon laughed nervously "ha...um, must have been another terriermon" Henry shook his head defeat "what are your Digimon fighting about anyway?" Terriermon hopped onto his tamers head "Yea, Moumentai!" Now that rika thought about it she didn't know why she was fighting "I...." it was just what they did, it was what Digimon are for "We fight to get stronger!" Takato stared at her, wondering why she would fight for such an unimportant cause, maybe she didn't feel there was anything else. Rika somehow felt uncomfortable under Takato`s gaze "um...come on Renamon, were going" Renamon responded with a nod and followed her back along the path Henry had come by. Takato gazed after her, lost in his own thought`s.

"Ta...Ka...To?" guilmon pats him way to hard on the back knocking him to the ground with a yell Takato rubbed his head "ouch...what is it guilmon?" The dinosaur cocked his head to one side "guilmon is hungry" just then, guilmon let rip a loud belch that was smelt by all in the clearing. Terriermon wafted the air away from his face with a disgusted expression something tells me you've already eaten...jeez that smells like a four month old peanut butter sandwich!" Takato tried not to throw up at the stench "oh my god...well, first we find somewhere for you to stay. I mean you can`t stay at my place now, your too big. I`ll bring you some food tomorrow."

* * *

**Streets of Shinjuku: 5.40pm **

Rika Nonoka wandered the streets alone. She couldn't get that feeling out of her head, why was it she had felt so uncomfortable under Takato`s eyes. It was like being a little girl caught doing something wrong. If rika was sure of one thing it was that next time she met that boy that...gogglehead...she would not lose. "Next time, that data is mine!"

* * *

**Shinjuku park: disused storage shelter {or as it shall now be known guilmons hideout} 5.45pm**

Takato observed the place Henry had suggested. It was a small concrete bunker with plenty of room inside for both guilmon and Gatomon. In short, it was perfect. The two boys sat down in the shelter, the Digimon were outside talking amongst themselves "Thanks Henry this is just what we need"

"Your welcome I guess" he seemed concerned "but I don't get why that girl...rika I think it was, wanted to fight like that. I would never let terriermon fight just to get stronger; I don't like the idea of fighting at all" Takato stared at the ground, he was sure there was some reason for her behaving like that, she couldn't like it, not rely, even if she thought she did. "I think she doesn't know Henry, she doesn't know there's anything else" Henry nodded "yea, your right" he checked his watch it's about time for me to be getting home mom will be wonder..." Takato jumped up surprising Henry and cutting him off in mid sentence "Henry quick what time is it!" Henry blinked in surprise at Takato`s reaction "five forty-seven, why?" Takato`s eyes widened "Oh god!" Takato exclaimed "mom wanted me home more than an hour ago!" running outside to Gatomon he said "Gatomon! Stay here and look after guilmon! I'll be back in the morning with food!" Without waiting for a response Takato bolted from the park heading for home as fast as he could possibly go.

* * *

**6.00pm**

Gatomon lay with her head propped up against the wall and her hands folded across her chest. She was observing the large hole guilmon was digging at the back of the hut. It was steadily growing bigger as guilmon dug with great enthusiasm. Guilmon, who by now was no longer visible to Gatomon giggled in pleasure "I think I'm almost done kitty!" Gatomon rolled her eyes "guilmon if i have to tell you one more time about calling me kitty I swear I will bite of those weird little ears of yours" "Ok. So what do you think?" he popped his head up out of the hole to see what she thought about his good work. Gatomon surveyed the destruction with raised eyebrows "guilmon...I think it's a mess" Guilmon grinned in excitement "is that good?" The cat Digimon leaned back closing her eyes to take a nap "yea guilmon that`s wonderful. Now be quiet will you, I want to get some sleep."

* * *

**Streets of Shinjuku: the next day: 7.45am**

Takato was feeling, somewhat nervous, today being a Saturday he had decided to visit the Digimon card store. However he had allowed Gatomon to talk him into taking her...and guilmon. "Gatomon this is not going to work" Gatomon was in his arms pretending to be a toy "Sure it will" she told him out of the corner of her mouth "I'm a doll and guilmons a guy in a suit**, **it`s foolproof" guilmon walked beside them taking in all of the sight`s with great interest, for someone who had only existed for two days and barely that, he already seemed to be growing up, even maturing!"

"I think you should listen to Gatomon, she`s smart, and you only learn things by listening" Takato stared at him "...only yesterday you were talking like a child, how did you get like this?" Guilmon grinned "weren't you paying attention; I listened to you and Gatomon" By the time they reached the card store Takato had grown more comfortable in the plan and entered with a slight swagger. "Hey mister" The man at the counter looked up with a large smile on his old face "ah matsuki! My most loyal customer! what can i do for you today, do you want pack`s, single card`s, ready made decks?" Takato returned the smile "I think I'll have a few pack`s today, say four or five"

"Ok wonderful!" the man picked five packs of Digimon trading cards from a box of one hundred and passed the to him with a wink "good luck mate" Still grinning Takato answered "I hope so" Takato handed over the necessary amount of money and left the store with a cheery wave to the proprietor "bye mister!"

Outside the store guilmon and Gatomon excitedly waited for Takato to open the cards, once out of sight of people Gatomon said "come on open them already!" Takato picked one of the packs and put the rest in his pocket for later "right, let's see what I've got!" he opened the pack and went through them reading out the names of each one to the two Digimon. "Ok we have, veemon, black gears, digivice, ladydevimon {Gatomon scowled at that one} scubamon, training grips...those are no good, speed, Kabuterimon, divermon, and... Gatomon!"

"Yes?"

Takato shook his head "no, I mean I have the Gatomon card" Gatomon squealed in excitement "really let me see!" She jumped up onto Takato`s shoulder to view the card "holy cow! That`s so cool. I mean I'm so cool!" Just as Takato began to read out Gatomon`s statistics, guilmon growled. The other two members of there little group looked at him in confusion "what is it gui....." Takato broke as he saw guilmons eyes...they had gone feral! Without a word of warning guilmon bolted round the corner running toward, who new where.

* * *

**Underground parking lot: 7.53am **

Rika Nonoka stood against one of the many concrete pillars that held up the roof of the parking lot. She was waiting for Renamon who was right at that moment leading that overgrown lizard right to her, and of course the gogglehead would follow with the kitty.

Rika stiffened as she heard the faint sounds of the boy calling after his Digimon _`here they come`_ she thought. Sure enough Renamon fazed into existence by her side at that moment "they are coming rika." Rika bit her lip, she new that she would be triumphant this time, but what if he put her off guard again, how had he done that anyway? Was he some kind of psychic? She came back to reality when guilmon reached the foot of the stairs; he was glaring at her like the devil. Takato arrived behind him breathing heavily Gatomon had been riding on his head and so she wasn't tired or out of breath at all. Takato saw rika and smiled. Rika gaped at him, he was smiling! At her! Why was he treating her like a friend? She wanted to kill both of his Digimon and push him into the mud, and he was smiling!

"Hey rika" he greeted her like a friend, thinking that he might be able to `melt` her icy personality "what's up?" rika shook herself to get over the shock and for good measure decided to get angry "What's up is gonna be your Digimon Eating dirt, Renamon!" Gatomon as the strongest was the first to be attacked, Renamon figured she could effortlessly take out the rookie afterwards... that was her first error. While the other two Digimon fought guilmon charged the strongest Pyro sphere he could muster and fired it directly at Renamon. At the last second she back flipped, and let Gatomon take the full force of the attack. She was thrown with tremendous force into one of the concrete pillars which cracked with the impact.

Takato ran to the fallen Digimon who was now unconscious "Damn, i hope she`ll be alright, watch were your firing those attacks guilmon" unfortunately for everyone present guilmon was now operating completely on his viral instincts and they said, kill! The berserker Digimon launched Pyro sphere after Pyro sphere at Renamon, relentless in his onslaught.

Rika now watched with interest _`hmm it looks like dino-boy is stronger than i expected` _Renamon was using evasive tactics, flitting from one spot to another, propelling herself off walls, and dodging fire-balls all the time.

Takato also watched the fight, but unlike rika who was concentrating on just renamons actions he watched each Digimon closely, that was why he was the first to see the stray Pyro sphere heading right for rika. With super-human speed [in fact, it was a speed some Digimon would be envious of] Takato crossed the distance, wrapped his arms around her and, without stopping used his momentum to send them both to the ground many meters away from the explosion that incinerated the pillar rika had leant against seconds before. Rika`s limbs refused to move. She was still in Takato`s arms and this made her feel... strangely safe. Takato let go of her and got to his feet, rika shivered when she saw his face, she was used to seeing him as nervous, happy, or kind-hearted. But now there was something new... anger, fury, and rage!

* * *

**The realm of the mind**

Takato felt as if his blood was boiling. The lightning that was here before was now a hundred times worse, and thunder echoed all around. "Takato Calm down!" the silhouette of the man spoke with great urgency "trust me; your anger will cause more trouble than it is worth! It takes a great deal too calm people like me and you"

Unfortunately the boy formerly known as Takato was now running on pure anger, in the same way that guilmon was using his viral instincts.

* * *

Rika stared at Takato, scarcely hearing the sounds of Renamon fighting the bloodthirsty dino. She watched his shirt slowly burn away to reveal a tattoo which was pulsing with crimson energy

Rika was now sufficiently confused. But when she saw the tamer turn on his Digimon and start pounding it with all available limbs, she decided to stop trying to understand either of them.

Takato dodged a volley of Pyro spheres and landed a powerful kick in the digimons jaw. Amazingly guilmon fell to the ground unconscious. But now with his opponent vanquished, Takato turned on Renamon. After seeing guilmon so easily beaten by the boy, Renamon was not too pleased to be confronted by him; rika could see that she was actually scared. Normally rika would have had confidence that Renamon would win, on a different occasion she would not have cared if the fox had been deleted, but now the redhead placed herself between the two and stared at Takato defiantly.

"Stop right there gogglehead!" Surprisingly for those who were conscious and not going mad, Takato did as she said. Rika licked her dry lips and continued; using what she hoped was a soothing voice "calm down... I'm the one that's supposed to be angry all the time aren't I" she watched Takato carefully, wondering if he would attack her to get hold of to Renamon. Her words did seem to be working but he was still agitated and the tattoo still pulsed. Rika couldn't understand why she wanted to protect her Digimon, she was just data, and they could just run couldn't they... no she couldn't she needed... wanted to calm him down _`I must be going soft`_ she thought _`nothing some depressed solitude won't fix` _"gogglehead, come on please, Renamon isn't going to fight you, so just cool it!"

* * *

**Takato`s mind**

The sounds of thunder had completely disappeared, but the lightning was still there [though there was far less than before] Takato listened to rika`s voice echoing through his mind, it was calming him, but as the shadowed man [as Takato had unofficially named him] had said it was almost impossible.

The shadowed man watched him from afar. He marvelled at the relative ease the human girl was soothing the hazard _`this is supposed to be almost impossible` _around them the last vestiges of the lightning vanished and utter darkness enveloped everything.

* * *

Rika ran forward and caught the now unconscious Takato; the mark on his chest had stopped flashing and had faded to an extremity of black she had not known existed. Renamon came forward too and observed the male tamer "I believe that was unusual behaviour for a human."

* * *

**Nonoka residence: 8.30am**

"Alright Renamon take guilmon and Gatomon round the back and stay with him till he wakes up, I'll take Takato to my room and do the same" Renamon nodded in response "alright rika... but remind me, why are we doing this?" rika froze, she didn't actually know "I... because we don`t know were he lives and fainting isn't serious enough for a hospital" yes that would work, even though it wasn`t` true.

Renamon accepted the excuse and fazed out with guilmon. Rika took hold of Takato and pulled him to the sliding door of her room. It was a good thing Renamon was strong enough to carry both Takato and guilmon because there was no way she could have dragged the gogglehead all the way.

She slid the door open and took him inside. Once she had him inside she set him down in the middle of the room and sat herself down next to him, she was ready for a long wait. _`i suppose this gives me a chance to think... why the hell have i brought him here, i could have found his place in the phone book, but no i wanted to bring him her. Damn forget that the important thing is what happened to him in the first place, and this freaky tattoo. _She reached out and touched the mark. It was spread over half his chest and felt much harder than the rest of his skin, and it was still warm, hot even _`how much hotter was it when it burned through his shirt?`_

Rika had always known that fate despised her, and it proved it again right at that moment, by waking Takato "Hmm, Wha... rika! Why do you have your hand on my chest?" rika snatched the hand back immediately "I, uh, it`s about time you woke up!" Takato could have sworn that he saw a faint blush on her face, but decided to dismiss it, he new what she had been doing anyway. "It's a birthmark, a weird one, but still a birthmark" rika had a good reason to doubt that it was simply that "Then how did a simple birthmark burn through your shirt?" it was then that Takato seemed to notice the burned shirt for the first time "damn! That was my favourite shirt, what exactly happened?" rika gaped at him, had he forgotten! "You don't remember!?" she watched the boy shake his she watched the boy shake his head _`god, is he an idiot? ` _"Hmm, Well I'll tell you exactly what happened"

* * *

**Outside: 8.30am **

Renamon unceremoniously dumped the two Digimon behind a tree were she hoped the other members of the Nonoka family [or a simple passerby] would not be able to see them. She looked at guilmon in interest, he was a lot stronger than her original estimate she would give him that, but whenever he wasn`t fighting he was so... she couldn't say cute even if that was her exact thought so... childish would have to do _`and to curious for his own good` _she remembered the time he had sniffed her, and she had kicked him into a tree. She surprised herself by smiling _`i wonder why he sniffed that particular area? Or if he even knew what it was? He seems so naive_, _he`d be a good fighter if he used tactics instead of just brute force. I would all ready be deleted if i just went berserk` _

Renamon didn`t` know it but at that moment Takato was waking, and this caused guilmon to wake to [Gatomon also woke but promptly decided to take a catnap] She heard him sniff the air a few time`s "hmm, that smell`s like... Renamon!" he opened his eyes and smiled at her "hello" Renamon returned the greeting whilst taking a wary step back to avoid his curious snout.

Guilmon stared at her with unblinking yellow eyes. Thoughts raced through his young mind and he tried to piece them together. There was something about Renamon that made the Digimon different from himself, different from Takato, different from the blue haired human and terriermon but somehow similar to Gatomon. Guilmon could not settle on what it was. The sent that wafted from Renamon had something to do with it [and it smelt damn good too] guilmon decided to give up the guessing and ask his question directly.

"What makes you different from me and Takato?" Renamon was taken aback, was he asking her to explain... no, no he must know that however naive he was. He continued to stare at her, obviously waiting for an answer. She took a breath deciding to give a quick and simple answer and nothing more "It`s because, I'm female." Guilmon responded with one short and simple question, which would force Renamon to give the most uncomfortable explanation she had ever given.

"What's a female?"

* * *

Takato listened in shocked silence as rika summed up the events after the last memory he had [which was seeing the rouge Pyro Sphere on a collision course with rika. Takato absently fingered the hazard mark. His life seemed full of strange occurrences, from punching a hole in a wooden door at three, to dreaming of rika before he had ever met her. He wondered if rika might have a better explanation for that than he did. "You know, i had a dream about you once. And that was before i met you, weird huh"

Rika [who had been cut off in mid sentence] floundered for something to say, and found nothing. _`What the hell is he talking about? He saw me in a dream! Before he met me! This guy just keeps getting weirder` _

The sound of the front door shutting echoed through the house and rika`s eye`s widened _`Oh crap, grandma"_ She leapt to her feet and grabbed Takato's shoulder "You have to leave! Quickly!"

* * *

Renamon couldn't believe her good fortune when rika burst out of the old fashioned house through the back door, dragging Takato [who was trying in vain to use his own feet and failing miserably] behind her. The explanation of the difference between male`s and female`s had caused yet more curiosity in the dinosaurs mind, and Renamon had found herself talked into explaining the... finer details, of reproduction. Although guilmon had drunk in the information with great interest, he had turned an even deeper shade of red as he had listened to the more interesting parts. Renamon thanked all her lucky stars that she had fur to cover the blush that stained her own face with a red that almost equalled guilmons.

Rika made a beeline for the two Digimon and spoke immediately "gogglehead and dino-boy and the cat have to leave right now, as in yesterday!" Renamon was glad for the opportunity to throw the dino out [which she decided to do literally] she grabbed him by the tail and effortlessly threw the protesting Digimon over the wall. Everyone else [including Gatomon who had kept an ear open during renamons `birds and the bees` speech] used the more conventional method of getting outside, the front gate.

* * *

**Shinjuku subway station 9.50am**

The mist billowed out of the tunnel; it seemed charged with static electricity. Around him people fled toward the nearest exit, some of them [mostly young children] were screaming. But he new what it was and new that it was the responsibility of him and his partner to stop the approaching Digimon.

Henry hoped that terriermon would be strong enough to take down whatever was coming, if he couldn't then they would have to call Takato for help and keep the Digimon at bay until he and guilmon arrived. Henry took both his mobile and his digivice [which was a cream colour with green trimmings and buttons] and held them at the ready "terriermon, you up for this" the dog-bunnies answer was the predictable `Moumentai`

Henry didn't want to fight but he new that sometimes there was no choice. He remembered the last time ha and terriermon had fought and grimaced _`i wont let that happen again, i swear` _When Henry saw the shape emerging from the mist, the primate form, the huge weapon that was his arm, when he heard the primal growl and the low voice that said _**"terriermon"**_ he new it was time to call Takato.

* * *

Takato had returned to his list of things to do that day. He had already bought his cards so next on his list was to generally hang around the park with his Digimon and wait to see if anything interesting happened.

Something did happen and it started with Takato`s mobile buzzed and began playing its ringtone which was of course the Digimon theme tune. Takato answered quickly thinking it would probably be his mother. But it wasn't, it was Henry.

"_**Takato, i need your help"**_

"You do, what's the problem

"_**the problem is a Digimon his name is gorillamon and he`s got a pretty big grudge against terriermon"**_

"A grudge against terriermon! Why?"

"_**No time to explain now Takato just get here quickly" **_

"Where are you?"

"_**Shinjuku subway station, hurry Takato... please"**_

* * *

Henry snapped his mobile shut and stuffed it in his pocket. He had been forced to take refuge in a ticket booth. Gorillamon stood on the tracks firing blast after blast of purple energy from his arm-cannon. His target was terriermon who was fighting with hit and run tactics.

Henry stepped out of the booth with his digivice in hand. He new what to do, he new he had to help terriermon fight, but still he remembered the destroyed Digimon, he remembered gorillamon fleeing for his life, and he remembered BlackGargomon.

An explosion rang in his ears as one of the many energy blasts struck a vending machine. Henry drew a breath and picked the first card from his deck.

"**Digi-Modify...Hyper Speed Activate!**"

Terriermon's speed increased exponentially allowing him to strike gorillamon to the ground with a series of terrier-tornado attacks in the back and sides. Gorillamon rolled over and fired another blast at terriermon. Luckily the shot missed the dog-bunny instead it hit a light fixture and the resulting explosion brought down a large section of the roof revealing the street above. Terriermon ran circles around the large Digimon as it got to it`s feet and attempted to hit him with another attack in it`s hairy back, but gorillamon was expecting it this time and brought his fist around and struck the little Digimon sending him flying into a wall. Henry searched franticly through his cards for something to help his partner. A tear rolled down the boys face. Things were not going well at all.

* * *

**Rika`s room 10.00am**

Rika was in her room checking and making mental notes of her card inventory practising and inventing new strategies. She had a scowl on her face; her mother had just arrived home and was now in the kitchen. Rika hoped she would not come to speak to her; she wanted to be left alone with her thoughts.

Rumiko didn't knock she just waltzed in babbling about what an exhausting day she had had having people take photographs of her in fancy clothes.

Rika wanted to be alone, rika wanted to sit in silence and design new ways to kick Ryo`s ass in the card game, but she couldn't with her mother around, so she did the only sensible thing, she got angry, and started yelling.

* * *

Sweat ran down Henry's face. He was choking. The reason for this was the large ape-like hand clamped around his middle _`Ok... this is not good` _he thought this only because at that moment he was incapable of saying it out loud.

Terriermon was in a crumpled heap on the ground at gorillamon`s feet. Henry wondered what gorillamon was waiting for. Terriermon managed to raise himself to his feet but wobbled unsteadily. Anger crossed the rookie`s face as he saw Henry's perilous position "put my tamer down right now you bastard!" the ape laughed in it`s gruff voice and obliged, by throwing Henry against a fallen pillar that should have held up the now devastated roof. The boy lost conciseness and a trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth.

Terriermon fumed. Anger crouched like a tiger in the pit of his stomach; he couldn't hold it in, the rage needed to be released. Energy tore through his body, new data collected around the enraged bunny.

_**D-I-G-I-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N **__**"TERRIERMON DIGIVOLVE TO...**_

Henry`s digivice glowed a dark green that was almost black. The data that was terriermon was ripped from is form to join the hurricane of information that surrounded him. In the centre of this vortex was a green ball of energy, and it was around this that the new form was created.

The new terriermon was a six foot high humanoid rabbit with machine gun`s for hands. His stomach and face were a cream colour but the rest of him was green, except for the four stripes of battle paint on his face, two under each eye. The creature's floppy ears reached his waist where a black belt held up his blue jeans. A chain of spare ammo was looped over his left shoulder and the two ends joined up on the opposite side of his body.

_**...GARGOMON!"**_

* * *

Despite running at his top speed with Gatomon in his arms and guilmon following behind him Takato was only just arriving. He stared in shocked horror at the gaping hole in the street. Some people stared at it from a distance but most of the people who had been there at the time of the holes creation had already fled. Police had set up a perimeter fence around the hole and the entrance to the sub-way. Five policemen stood at the barrier attempting to convince the few remaining people to leave for there own wellbeing. There was a very good reason for this Takato realised as he heard rapid gun-fire from beneath the street followed by the enraged roar of some unknown beast.

Gatomon whispered in his ear "Takato, we need to get in there; you distract those blue-boys while guilmon and I go down there to help terriermon." Takato nodded silently agreeing with the plan. She flipped herself out off his arms and nimbly landed on guilmons shoulders.

Takato staggered over to the group of policemen, he would have liked to move a little faster be he was exhausted from running full pelt all the way here. "Hey guy`s..." one of the men looked at him curiously "...um, hey, nice weather we`re having isn't it"

* * *

Guilmon heard another volley of bullets as he ran down the steps to the station. Gatomon was on his shoulders saying something about hoping terriermon was ok. But guilmon wasn't listening he was wondering what was making the banging noises at there destination.

He found out as when he reached the base of the stairs and his eyes fell on gargomon. He new instantly that it was still terriermon, he smelled exactly the same. But Gatomon was in a state of severe confusion. "Who the hell is that guy?"

Gargomon turned to face the new voice expecting some sort of attack, but smiled when he saw the speaker "Well it`s about time you got here" the smile left his face when he took an energy blast in the back. Gorillamon advanced on the fallen gun-bunny, and encountered a ball of flaming red energy squarely in the face. Guilmon launched another Pyro sphere while the beast was still reeling from the first. Gatomon slashed open his side with an energy charged paw leaving three deep scars in gorillamon's side that bled destroyed data.

Gargomon staggered to his feet to see the badly injured gorillamon levelling its gun with his face. The flesh on gorillamon`s face pealed and gave of an acrid stench, one eye had been completely melted by guilmons Pyro sphere and the now liquid eyeball dripped down his face. Gargomon hit the dirt to avoid being hit again by the weapon fire. Gatomon leapt onto the back of the enraged beast. She seemed to be attempting to claw of the arm that was his weapon. Gorillamon howled and tried in vain to dislodge the cat from his back. Gargomon took advantage of his distraction and launched all of one hundred rounds into gorillamon`s chest.

The beast stopped thrashing and stared angrily at gargomon _**"You... basted!"**_ his data splintered and the many partials of his being filled the room. Gatomon dropped gracefully to the ground and smiled at gargomon. A thought crossed her mind and she attempted an imitation of a character in one of Takato`s books "That'll do bunny, that`ll do"

* * *

**Shinjuku Park: guilmons hut: 10.57am**

The three Digimon and the one human watched the unconscious form of Henry Wong closely. The group had been there for a quarter of an hour. In that time guilmon and the now de-digivolved terriermon had become rather friendly with each other. Gatomon had made a few efforts at conversation with Takato but guilmon and terriermon were the only ones really up for talking.

Finely Henry began to stir and after a few minutes he awoke and sat himself up looking bleary eyed and confused. "Where... where am I?" guilmon handed him a piece of bread {which had been in the hut since the previous morning and was now inedible to any one other than guilmon} "your in my house" he said happily. Henry politely accepted the bread but did not even consider taking a bite "Right... but what happened to gorillamon?" Terriermon attempted a pose that he had seen some hero make at the end of a movie once "I digivolved and kicked his ass" and after a sidelong look at the other two Digimon added "With a little help from these guy`s" Henry looked as if he had been slapped round the face "You digivolved! How many times have I made you promise not to do that?" Takato took this opportunity to ask a question "Terriermon told us about you not wanting him to digivolve but he wouldn't say why, he wanted to be all mysteries... so will you tell us?"

Henry hesitated but after a moment of thought he decided to spill the beans.

* * *

**Two years prior {Christmas day} 6.00pm**

Henry closed the door and put the box on his bed with a grin on his face. In the box was the new Digimon game and Henry couldn't wait to try it out. After taking it out of the box and installing the required software onto his computer he plugged in the main console and took his cards out of a box under the bed.

Once he had the game started up and ready for play he selected his favourite character from the list of available Digimon. The terriermon on the screen danced as he clicked on it. After an hour or so of general play he came up against something stronger than the others. The gorillamon strode confidently up to his terriermon and raised its gun. Henry swiped a series of cards through a slot on the main console allowing terriermon to run at great speeds and attack gorillamon from behind.

After a few minuets of epic battle between the two players terriermon and Henry`s luck ran out. Gorillamon smashed terriermon in the side with his un-weaponed arm. In a way that Henry could not understand he felt angry... and frightened for the little Digimon. He adjusted the camera options to zoom in on Terriermon's face and suddenly, a realisation hit him out of the blue "This is too real... terriermon is really hurt!"

Rage seared through the boys veins and he wanted one thing more than any thing "Gorillamon... you will die!"

_**D-I-G-I-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N **__**"TERRIERMON DIGIVOLVE TO...**_

Henry`s digivice glowed a dark green that was almost black. The data that was terriermon was ripped from is form to join the hurricane of information that surrounded him. In the centre of this vortex was a green ball of energy, and it was around this that the new form was created.

The new terriermon was a six foot high humanoid rabbit with machine gun`s for hands. His stomach and face were a cream colour but the rest of him was a dark muddy brown, except for the four stripes of blood red battle paint on his face, three under each eye. The creature's floppy ears reached his waist where a red belt held up his black jeans. A chain of spare ammo was looped over his right shoulder and the two ends joined up on the opposite side of his huge body.

_**...BLACKGARGOMON!"**_

Bullets pelted into the gorillamon who was now running for his life. Gorillamon would have died that day, had not BlackGargomon seen a huge heard of more powerful enemies to kill. They were monochromon. Despite his new found power the rabid gun-bunny could not stand up to over a hundred monochromon.

* * *

**Present day**

"If this weird card hadn't appeared terriermon would have died... but when i slashed it through the card reader it sort of, transformed, and became my digivice. Next thing i know terriermon is in my arms, and I'm crying like a baby" he seemed to be crying now too. Terriermon tried to comfort him but that seemed to make it worse.

Takato stared at Henry feeling really bad for asking him to think about that. He did not know what he would do if something like that happened to guilmon.

* * *

**Digital world: hellmouth: unknown time**

Beelzamon [third rank demon lord and pain extraordinaire] entered the court of his master. As usual there was no light in the room; the darkness seemed to devour even the minor possibilities of light`s presence. The demon lord dropped to his knees and placed his left fist on his chest "you summoned me my lord"

The voice that answered was calm and sinisterly childlike "I did, beelzamon, you are here to be given a new task" beelzamon nodded eagerly "yes my lord, what is this task" the reply did not come from his master as he had expected, but from his second in command. Beelzamon had never seemed the second, no one had [except possibly the master] beelzamon did not even know his name. The second`s voice was deeper and seemingly older than the masters "your task is to spy on the tamers, the master shall send you to there world where you will observe them"

Beelzamon was startled by the information "But, my lord`s i will be rather... conspicuous in the human world" This time it was the master who answered "That is why you shall be drained of you power, as a normal weakling rookie you shall be much less conspicuous. And much smaller so it is unlikely you will be seen"

Beelzamon was terrified by the very idea of losing even a fraction of his power, but if he refused he would die so he had to except it "Alright... is there anything else?" again it was the second who answered before the master even had chance to open his mouth "No, and it doesn't matter if your presence is known of by the tamers, just don't allow them to know you are demon lord"

No more was said after that, the only sounds in the room were beelzamon`s screams as the power was ripped away from him, and the static hum of a Digital gate.

* * *

**Human world: Shinjuku Park: water fountain 12.00pm **

The rookie stumbled out of the gate and clutched his hands to his head in a futile attempt to stop the resounding pain in his scull [and to ignore the pain everywhere else.]

Impmon finely managed to block out the pain and observe his surroundings "damn this world is a dump... it makes me sick to my stomach!"

* * *

**Zandermon: Well? What do you think?**

**Angewomon: I think it was fantastic!**

**Lady.D: It was amazing!**

**Zandermon: great. If any of you readers liked it then please review. And again i apologise for the late delivery of this chapter... Zandermon out**

***** **


	4. Queen of Ice

**Zandermon: Well then, this is actually published on the thursday after the last one. I've written this in only a week! Yeh!**

**Angewomon: very good Zan, but is it a good chapter or have you just rushed it?**

**Lady-D: I `m sure it would be good even if he had rushed it**

**Zandermon: ...I didn't rush. Now, i don't own Digimon... does anyone really care whether i do or don't?**

**Angewomon: probably not. So here`s chapter three, queen of ice**

* * *

**Tamers: Guardian of The hazard [chapter 03: Queen Of Ice]**

**Nonoka Household: rika`s room: Sunday 18****th**** January 2006**

**5.30am**

Rika Nonoka rolled over in her sleep. Her dreams were filled with hazy memories of her father; her lips mouthed a silent song. When she slept rika became a real human again, her world became one where things had turned out right, where she had spent her whole life with a loving father, and without her protective shell of ice. While awake that icy exterior was all that kept her going, it held her together like an insect's exoskeleton... but it also pained her greatly. It pained her to see her family's desperate attempts to make her happy, and to watch others go through life with a comfortable smile on there faces.

Her violet eyes opened. But they were glazed over like a frozen pond. _"Oh hell" _she mentally groaned _"I had to go and wake up didn`t I" _She lay in complete silence for a short time as she weighed her chances of finding something to do if she got out of bed. She soon found herself quietly, almost silently singing the words of a song she had liked as a child, and stopped herself. _"there`s no way I'll let myself go soft now. I hate the world for doing what it did to me, that`s why i need to be stronger, nothing else matters as long as i can show the world that i am the strongest."_

_

* * *

_**11.45am**

Rika showered and dressed into her usual jeans and broken hart shirt. It was a cold unwelcoming day and thick black storm clouds hung in the sky, torrential rain battered the roof of the house. Rika observed the weather from the window with a passive expression and decided a rain coat might be in order.

After a quick and simple breakfast she dug out an ankle length black rain coat from a cupboard and left the house, despite her grandmother`s desperate pleas for her to come back. Once out of site [which wasn`t very far because of the rain] Renamon appeared by her side. Unlike rika she did not have any protection from the rain and her soaked fur clung to her skin, but she paid this no heed and greeted rika in a polite but simple manner. Rika did not respond. She completely ignored her. "Are you feeling alright rika?" the girl shook her head tiredly but made no other attempts at communication. Renamon tried again "rika what`s..." she broke of when rika glared at her "you've got your answer ok, I'm not fine! I never am! Now why don't you just piss off and leave me alone? Ok... **go!**"

Renamon was hurt, rika was never exactly nice, but it was painful to be treated like that when you're only trying to help. She turned around and started to walk in the opposite direction. _"Why cant she treat me like a person" _Renamon clenched her fist and disappeared, heading as far away from rika as she could get.

Rika felt no remorse for banishing her partner. It was more important for her to know her place as a Digimon, to obey her tamer, if Renamon did not know her place it would show that rika was not the great tamer she tried to be. And that was unacceptable... after all, she was only data.

* * *

**Tokyo metropolitan building [Hypnos] 12.25am**

Yamaki flicked the lid of his well polished silvery lighter impatiently, as he waited for the two young women in the complex computerised seating units, to update him on the expected bioemergence. The seating units in which the two women sat were connected to the ends of large sleek mechanical arms; this allowed the women to be mobile throughout the entire of the huge steel and glass domed room. The dome itself was both a computer and its own screen and the units acted as control interfaces to the "kyon system" as it was called. The many curved screens covering the walls and ceiling currently showed a detailed map of Tokyo and a great number of flashing warnings indicating a powerful Digimon attempting to break down the thin barrier between the two worlds.

A woman with shoulder length red hair and brown eyes announced the new data in the calm respectful voice her job description had told her she had to use [so as not to create unnecessary stress] "my information shows the new wild one to be of the ultimate level sir" the blond in the other chair confirmed this with a nod "riley is correct sir" Yamaki ground his teeth "The level isn't important right now tally. Where will it bioemerge?" Tally quickly checked the data on the smaller screen that was part of her interface unit "The usual area sir. Shinjuku Park"

Yamaki stopped playing with his lighter in favour of rubbing his temples "Has anyone figured out why so many Digimon end up there yet?" riley and tally both shook there head`s. "Whatever... just delete the anomaly as soon as it appears"

* * *

**Shinjuku park bench: 12.26am**

Rika noticed the abnormal drop in temperature first. She snapped herself out of her thoughts and took an amazed look around her. The rain had now become a blizzard and ice formed on the ground. She quickly stood to her feet and made her way hurriedly for home. Bad weather may suite her but even she had limits. Before she had gone far the snow began to fall even harder, she could hardly see five feet in front of her. The wind howled around her, the sound was deafening. The snow had now reached her knees and she saw with amazement that some of the trees were entirely encased in ice.

She reached the edge of the park and gaped at the sight the met her eyes with a horrified expression. Surrounding the park was an eight foot high wall of solid ice, smooth and clear like perfect glass, through it she could see people standing rigid with shock staring at the wall. Amazingly the weather on that side was hardly a fraction of the conditions in the park, for the people outside the snow did not even reach there ankles. There was absolutely no way she could climb the wall, rika watched in horror as the ice crept higher and the snow fell harder. Rika turned around and gazed toward the opposite side of the park where the ice wall could already be seen above the trees. She did not know what to do; even moving was no longer an option as the snow had no reached her waist.

Pain blasted through every part of her as something hard and frigid clouted the back of her scull. A large white hand with claw like fingernails griped the girl around her waist and pulled her of the ground. A smile crossed the demons face showing sharp evil looking teeth when he saw his icy walls begin to bend in towards the centre of his new world. Within minutes the walls had joined together in the sky above the flying beast, creating a perfect ice dome. And sealed within was the perfect home and base of operations for the demon man.

Ice devimon`s grin widened as he set down in the frozen clearing where Takato had faced the centaurumon with Gatomon "Soon this girl will be my tamer" he said in a calm but sinister voice "and together we will encase this pathetic world with beautiful, beautiful ice!"

What Ice devimon didn't know was that not far of, sitting on the roof of his hut to escape the climbing ice, and with a champion level cat on his shoulders. Guilmon had watched the ultimate land; he had seen the shape of a girl in his hands. And he knew he had to find a way to get to his tamer.

* * *

**Hypnos**

"Sir, the systems cannot delete the anomaly! It`s been protected by some sort of wall!" riley quickly reactivated the program and tried again. "...it`s no good sir, the wall`s to strong"

* * *

**On the opposite side of Tokyo: 12.30am**

Renamon was perched on the peak of one of the largest radio masts in Tokyo; the mast was positioned on a tall building. From here she could see most of the city, the rain seemed to be trying to drown her, Renamon did not think i was possible for her to be much wetter than she already was, and the wind was tremendous. Her head turned toward the Shinjuku area. And she blinked, after that she blinked a few more times [just for good measure] and finely decided she wasn't seeing things.

A dome of ice over three miles high covered the entire of Shinjuku Park. Rain would hit the dome and immediately freeze giving it the appearance of a frozen waterfall. _If rika`s in there..._

_

* * *

__Renamon tried again "rika what`s..." she broke of when rika glared at her "you've got your answer ok, I'm not fine! I never am! Now why don't you just piss Off and leave me alone? Ok... __**go!**__"_

_Renamon was hurt, rika was never exactly nice, but it was painful to be treated like that when you're only trying to help. She turned around and started to walk in the opposite direction. "Why can't she treat me like a person?"_

_

* * *

_"_...she wouldn't want my help... she`s probably not in there anyway... whatever that is, I`m sure guilmon can handle it"_

* * *

**Guilmons hut: 12.30am**

Guilmon was pleased to see the snow and ice had ceased its advance when the ice dome had closed, shutting out any more liquid. Gatomon shivered on his back, guilmon hardly noticed the cold, he was to preoccupied with his thoughts _"I wonder if my Pyro sphere could make a door for Takato?" _

He hopped off the roof of his hut, most of the snow had frozen but there was still enough to reach his scaly ankles. Most of the hut was filled with ice and snow was piled up against the sides. It was as if some giant hand had plucked the park out of the ground and dropped it in the middle of Antarctica. Gatomon rubbed her arms in an effort to warm herself "Guilmon, what are you doing?" He continued his march without slowing but said "we`re going to find Takato"

They eventually reached the base of the dome, but now both of them felt a combination of sadness and nausea, on the way the two Digimon had encountered a human child of eight or nine years frozen under the deep ice. The only thing that had caused them to notice the body had been guilmon tripping over its stiff hand, the only part not frozen in ice.

Guilmon felt it was more important than ever to get his tamer inside.

* * *

**Takato`s room: 12.30am**

Takato was bored, so bored that he had resorted to watching the news on his laptop computer. This was how he came to know about the ice field at Shinjuku Park. He had replaced his destroyed white shirt with a black one. His black jeans and goggles remained and the only non black article of clothing on his body was the jacket [a red one now, the blue was in the dryer] "If I'm not careful I'll end up as a Goth" Petty worry`s such as seeming to be depressed vanished when the news report for the dome flashed onto his screen "The Hell?"

He immediately bolted down the stairs and out of the door pausing only to don a blue raincoat belonging to his mother [she was the only one with the sense to buy one whilst they were on offer] "I`m just borrowing your coat mom!" he yelled and slammed the door behind him

* * *

**Park centre: 12.31am**

Her head rang; it was painful to open her eyes. When she did it was only to see a frozen wasteland. The light was a dim blue and the air chilled her bones. Rika raised her head to look at her captor. The demon man`s demonic face split into a wide grin when he saw her open her violet eyes "Ah, tamer you have woken, that is good, now we can talk" His words did not immediately register in her mind, and when they did it still took a few moments to understand them "Um... no, wait I'm not your tamer... you must be confused" His grin did not falter. She felt his wings wrap tightly around her, and it was only then that she realised how he was holding her.

He held her tightly against his chest with long arms; her feet dangled just over a foot from the ground. He had taken away the band that kept her hair in its pineapple like style, it now fell down to her shoulders in that way that so annoyed her. "You freak!" she yelled angrily "Put me down now! Damn i am so going to kill you!" That annoying smile never left his lips as he spoke "Ah, your anger makes you seem even more beautiful"

Rika decided he wasn't putting her down anytime soon, so she would ask some other questions while she formulated a plan to get herself out of this mess "So what's with the ice world?" he seemed to be pleased she had asked "It serves two purposes, the first was to capture you, and the second is that it will make a perfect starting point for freezing the entire human world" rika gaped at him, she was unsure which question to ask first. "Why do you want me?"

"It is simple, i want you as my partner" rika could see two interpretations of the word "partner" and she hoped for the later, although even that made her flinch "What about Renamon?" his eyes flashed but the smile remained fixed in place, he said in a calm alluring voice "What about her? I`m all you need" rika swallowed another stream of angry words thinking that this guy was probably not the sort of guy you want to piss of "So why do you want to freeze the world?" he now looked delighted, he must have always dreamt of giving an evil when he villain speech when he was young "Again my dear it is a simple but effective plan. With the extinction of humans... except for you of course, i would be the only Digimon with a tamer in the entire digital world, and therefore the strongest, and then we could rule both worlds you and I"

Rika groaned inwardly, it was the traditional take over the world thing, but she had one question left "why me? Out of all the terrorists and homicidal maniacs that would better suite your personality why did you choose me?" IceDevimon answered immediately "Because you want to be the best, and you have a hart of ice. Rika, my dear tamer, you are the Queen of Ice"

* * *

**Shinjuku park: outside the dome: 12.45am**

Impmon watched the dome with an amused expression _"that IceDevimon was always one for being dramatic" _on the other side of the ice he could plainly see guilmon and Gatomon trying there best to break a hole, but he had no intention to help. The sound of running feet rang across the empty streets, the few people who had braved the rain that morning had retreated to there home`s after seeing the dome. Impmon new it to be an advanced type of digital field that only a powerful Digimon could sustain. It was a way of bringing ones natural habitat with you on the journey to the human world.

The runner came into view and instantly made his way across the street to the Digital Zone "Hey! Guilmon can you here me in there!" impmon smiled, finely he could start his task; now that he had identified one of the tamers he could begin obtaining information.

"**Digi-Modify... Meramon activate!"**

Impmon continued to watch as guilmon created a much larger and obviously much hotter Pyro Sphere that he had ever created before. It succeeded in making a gap large enough for Takato to walk through if he kept his head down. Takato bent over and crawled through as quickly as he could without falling over "Alright guy`s what`s with the giant igloo?"Gatomon began to speak but broke of when guilmon blurted "An Digimon with wings made it, and he`s stolen someone, i think it looked like the red girl"

Takato stiffened, he felt his blood run cold "Are you sure guilmon, are you sure it was rika?" guilmon screwed up his eyes in concentration "I, yes I'm sure, what about you Gatomon?" she bobbed her head "It sure looked like her but... yes, I`m sure it was rika" His blood practically boiled and without another word he raced of into the park, his Digimon ran after him but they had trouble keeping up.

Impmon followed to, if he wanted to give a good report of the tamers strength, the best way to do it was to watch them fight.

* * *

**Park centre: 12.53am**

IceDevimon was beginning to feel very annoyed, rika was adamantly refusing to become his partner despite the obvious display of his power around them, if she was not impressed with this then he must have greatly underestimated the Renamon _"how could a rookie compare to this?"_

Rika could not think of any way out of her situation, what would the bastard do if she continued to refuse? Would he just keep waiting until she agreed? Surely he would realise that she did not intend to change her mind. But if he did her life would probably be in danger. As long as he believed there was chance she would agree he would not kill her _"so keep him talking until you can think of something better" _She thought for a moment she could hear someone moving in the frozen bushes behind them but after a few moments of silence she dismissed it as her imagination.

IceDevimon looked as if her were about to speak, but at the very moment he opened his mouth a ball of red flames hit him in the back of the head. He screamed an unearthly scream and his hands flew up to nurse his peeling skin. Rika gasped when he suddenly released his grip letting her fall to the ground, she would have broken bones if not for the arms that caught her only a meter from the frozen ground. Rika stared at the boy who had caught her; she wanted to thank him [despite his being an idiot gogglehead] but could not bring words to her mouth.

IceDevimon broke his mind away from the pain, in reality that was all it was, just a small burn... and a hell of a pain "Give Her Back to Me!" he yelled when he saw Takato holding his would be tamer. The demon-man flew directly at Takato intending to take her by force but was sent reeling by a punch in the face from the furious human boy.

Takato gently placed rika on the tundra-like ground, as he rose rika saw the mysterious mark on his chest again, this time it shone even more brightly, it didn't just burn a hole in the shirt... this time the mark completely obliterated it. Just like before Takato did not notice the damage.

Gatomon ran to rika`s side and took her hand to pull her away "Come on, from what he tells` me you don't want to be this close right now" rika followed the cat to the bushes and turned back to see what was happening. Impmon who crouched behind a shrub a little way off gaped in amazement at the mark he new to be the hazard "This is bloody impossible!"

Guilmon could feel Takato`s energy flow through him, he could feel the anger, and he shared it.

_**D-I-G-I-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N**_

_**GUILMON DIGIVOLVE TO...**_

Guilmon was consumed by a bright red light. The surface data was striped away revealing his Digi-Core. Guilmon did not know it but he was using the Hazards power to access his digivolution, the new form was taken directly from Takato`s mind and broadcasted via the hazard.

The new data formed around the core and soon became a huge red tyrannosaurus with long white hair; his arms were long and muscular with sharp blade-like fins on the elbows. The tail was long and red with black scar like stripes. Like guilmon his chest and stomach were white and bore the hazard mark on the chest. More black triangular marks appeared on his arms and legs.

Razor sharp teeth were shown when he opened his mouth to roar.

_**...GROWLMON!"**_

Growlmon bared his teeth in a feral growl. IceDevimon momentarily seemed unsure of himself but then regained his composure "Digivolution..." he snarled "...You think that will stop me from taking what I want! THINK AGAIN! **TUNDRA CLAW!" **He swiped at growlmon with his large clawed hands, growlmon dodged, sweeping his tail through the air to clip IceDevimon in the back.

The demon man crashed to the ground but quickly righted himself. Growlmon ran at him jaws open intending to rend his limbs from his body, but again IceDevimon used his tundra claw this time striking him across the face. Growlmon reeled, he now had four deep scars on his face, the blood had frozen in the wound and the whole thing had been covered with inch thick ice. IceDevimon took the opportunity to launch a second attack **"Tundra Wave!" **a blast of cold energy hit growlmon in the side coating him with frost and icicles. Growlmon let out a beastly roar of anger and turned on IceDevimon **"Pyro Blast**er!" a torrent of scorching red flames flowed from his gaping maw.

From where Gatomon stood the demon seemed to vanish in the hellish flames. Growlmon kept the fire burning as long as he could but when he finely stopped they could all see that IceDevimon still stood... stood might be the wrong word as he was hardly standing at all, his flesh was blackened and bubbling and his wing`s still smouldered. Despite this he still had his arrogant smirk "You see rika Nonoka, i can take a licking and still keep ticking!"

Thousands of foot long dagger like icicles dropped from the distant roof of the dome, growlmon did not see them until it was almost too late, he launched another torrent of flames directly up dissolving the larger daggers and allowing the others to glance harmlessly off of his hard hide. IceDevimon had lost his smirk now, he looked slightly scared "No matter... I, I will beat you!"

Other than his pained screams those were his last words. Growlmon charged at IceDevimon screaming like Godzilla and crunched his cavernes jaws down on the Ice demon`s body. The blood curdling shrieks ended abruptly when his body splintered into fragments of data. Takato whose hazard still glowed evilly snarled and said "DESTROY IT!"

"**PYRO BLASTER!" **the flames obliterated the data within seconds... none survived, except for one single particle which vanished to the other side.

**

* * *

****Digital world: digital plane unknown time**

A small amount of broken and useless data floated among many other identical bundles, not many people could tell one from another, he was one of the few that could. The digital plane was that useless in-between place for the two worlds. No one thought about it, or what it contained. He knew what happened to a Digimon destroyed in the human world if the data was not loaded. Even if only a small amount remained.

The data he observed as it floated along its un-plotted path was that of IceDevimon. He knew that with the correct sequence of information fed into it, and with massive amounts of energy, that data could be reassembled, and if he was lucky enough that the memory remained in that data, then he could resurrect IceDevimon perfectly, and maybe even better than before.

He scooped up the data and grinned "I suppose i could find some use for this, I`m sure he would want revenge on the tamers, he would so enjoy killing them"

**

* * *

****Back in the park**

Rika stood back with Gatomon and warily watched the tamer and his feral Digimon. Takato still breathed hard with untold anger contained inside. Growlmon had only stopped the enraged roaring to draw breath occasionally. Gatomon shivered "It's hard to believe that beast is guilmon on the inside, the same could be said for Takato... you calmed him the first time, could you do it again?"

Gatomon could have suggested that she move a mountain for the way rika looked at her "Are you bloody crazy? Are you even seeing the same thing as me? This is worse than last time and back then he was fighting his partner, this time there is no enemy and they just might decide to kill us instead. God! Why am i even here?"

"No..." Gatomon shook her head "... I don't think he`d do that, he came here to save you so that would kind of defeat the object" around them the ice and snow was slowly dissolving into data, as it was actually part of the digital world itself.

Rika took another look at Takato wondering if she could repeat the last time _"... no, no i couldn't. I don't even know why he listened to me then so why should i assume i can do it again? No I`ll just wait till he calms naturally then I'll thank him quickly and go. Damn i am not looking forward to the thanking... I'll have to admit i was helpless... and that i was glad to see him"_

**

* * *

****Takato`s mind**

The shadowed man watched Takato`s conciseness from a safe distance, he new that the red haired girl had decided against interfering this time _"and quite a good decision to" _he pondered the best way to divert the boys attention from the cause of his anger. He new that Takato wanted an explanation for his presence in his head, although so far he had mostly ignored the shadow-man. There was no way he could tell the boy his name or who he was, that would just annoy the sovereigns _"but I'm sure they wouldn't mind me explaining the hazard"_

The shadows presence getting closer registered in his mind but he made no move to greet it, he was to busy fuming. "Takato?" the voice asked "Takato can you hear me?" he did not feel like answering but he inclined the head of his mental self. "I have something to tell you, about the mark on your chest" the mind of the boy blinked, he had not been expecting that, the anger momentarily slipped away but he desperately grabbed it back, he wasn't ready to relinquish it yet.

"That mark is the symbol of an ancient power from the digital world, it is greater that any other virus and has spent many generations in your world" the anger slipped through his fingers like water and he span around to face the man "A virus! How the hell did that get in me?" the man raised his hands "Peace, if you keep your self calm i will tell you" Takato inclined his head in agreement "Yes ok, now tell me"

The man nodded "Alright, a very long time ago there was a virus; it caused havoc on your internet, economies collapsed overnight, weapons were launched seemingly by accident, government officials found that there computer passwords had been changed, planes crashed, hospitals last power and thousands of people lost lives. When it discovered the digital world it somehow crossed over. The digital world was at peace, the royal knights, a group of holy protectors, had been established and had protected the digital world for countless years. The virus found a young Digimon, only a baby level, and fused itself with it. Over the years as that Digimon grew stronger and evolved the virus mutated, its host became evil and constantly deleted and absorbed other Digimon even those who should have been able to defeat it easily"

Takato broke in "So how did it get here?" the shadow sighed "I`m getting to that, be patient, thank you, The royal knight`s never found the Digimon with the virus as it never left a witness, but one day the Digimon deleted and absorbed three megas! Three megas in the space of an hour. The huge amount of data caused the Digimon to digivolve to mega itself, it became one called Megidramon, and Megidramon continued absorbing data in secret and eventually gained followers. They were all dragon types and took the name "dragon lord`s" by this time the virus had become near unstoppable and had named itself the hazard."

Again Takato itched to ask a question but managed to hold it in and continue listening. "One day the dragon lords decided they were powerful enough to do battle with the royal knights themselves, a war ensued that lasted years in which his three followers died along with all but a few royal knights. In the final battle with Megidramon all of the remaining knights fought valiantly but eventually died leaving only one surviving knight. That knight's name was gallantmon and after another painstaking battle he defeated Megidramon, but had to take the hazard into himself and become its guardian. No Digimon could accept gallantmon after that, even though he had saved them. So he was banished to the human world. Even now nobody understands exactly how but the amount of power the hazard possessed caused gallantmon to be thrown back in time whilst attempting to reach the human world.

"He arrived in a time humans refer to as 323 BC where he met a human woman called Celina, Takato... you are descended from that human woman, and from gallantmon himself. That is how the hazard came to be in your body" Takato was shocked, did this mean he was part Digimon? "Why doesn't dad have the mark then" the shadow chuckled "He doesn't have it because the hazard comes from your mothers side, and she doesn't have it anymore, it was passed on to you so she no longer needed the mark, she probably never told you because she couldn't understand how it had disappeared from her, some humans tend to ignore what they cant understand. Now I`m sure your wanting more but it shall have to wait, right now you partners and the human girl called Nonoka are rather worried about you. Goodbye Takato"

* * *

**The park again: 1.57pm **

Takato opened his eyes slowly and found that he was lying on the now snowless grass looking at a clear blue sky. Gatomon and rika both knelt beside him; guilmon lay on his other side just waking up himself. "Well, the weather sure changed fast" he said with a grin, then he noted the look on rika`s face "What`s up with you?"

Exactly what was up with rika was this, Takato had been unconscious for almost an hour, his sleep had lasted longer the first time but on this occasion there had been no sign`s of him even being alive, they had not even been able to find a pulse. Up until the first signs of his awakening rika had been a nervous wreck, now though she was ashamed of herself for being so scared and hoped upon hope that Gatomon would mention nothing.

Gatomon understood that rika wanted to remain walled up [though she did not know why] so she had decided to say nothing, she herself had been terrified, but she was not ashamed to acknowledge it "Well you see Takato, you didn't have a pulse, you weren't breathing, and you looked like you were dead and we... I was absolutely terrified" He blinked "Well... i won't be letting him keep me that long again"

"What? ..." Gatomon asked with her head cocked to one side. Takato looked down and noted the lack of shirt on his body "I`ll explain later Gatomon, now assuming the same thing happened to my shirt as last time... we`re going shopping. Rika, do you know anywhere that sells fire-proof shirts?"

**

* * *

****Rika`s room: 6.45pm**

"_Why the hell did i break down? That's just not like me; i should have just left as soon as the ice melted, so why didn't I? Oh damn, I must be going soft, everyone says you mellow with age, but that`s supposed to be when your sixty! I`m only fourteen" _

_R_ika looked round her room and realised something was missing "Where is she... maybe she`s just staying away... damn, i never told her when to come back. What if she never does?"

* * *

**Water fountain **

**8.00pm**

Impmon stared critically at the small communicator in his hands. The master had given it to him before sending him to this pitiful excuse for a world. Impmon did not understand why he could not just deliver his news to the master in person, but orders were orders, especially when they were given to you by the master, and his news was important, not to mention exciting. The communicator was a simple device [and i do mean simple] there was one button to activate the signal, and one to disconnect it. Impmon suspected it had been created by the second as an insult to his intelligence. It was common knowledge that the second hated him, for reasons unknown. Impmon pushed the activation button, muttering a silent prayer that the second would not be the one to answer; he wanted to give his information to the master and the master only.

His prayers were answered, the childlike voice of his master emerged from the digital gate before him [the gate had remained open for communication purposes] _"and it was through this gate that fool ice devimon came here" _he thought wryly. "Impmon, what news do you have for me" the master asked "and be quick about it, i have a meeting in five minutes with lillithmon" impmon kept his thoughts about the master and lillithmon to himself "My lord... you wont believe this but, i have located the hazard!"

There was silence for an agonising second in which impmon held his breath hoping he would be believed "...Are you feeling alright impmon, i can't have a sick underling on this mission, it could prove to be very important. You know as well as I that the hazard no long exists. Megidramon was destroyed by the last royal knight millennia ago, and then the night disappeared. If it still existed i would have found and used it`s power years ago" Impmon shook his head vigorously [even though the communication was audio only] "no sir you wouldn't, not if it had spent this entire time in the human world. One of the tamers has the mark of the hazard on his chest, as does his Digimon, which i gather is the only one of its kind.

Impmon heard the master draw a sharp intake of breath "If what you say is true then we may have an amazingly powerful weapon by the time our plans have ripened. If we fuse the hazard with the beast then it will be truly unstoppable!" The rookie level demon grinned "well my lord, the hazard Digimon is right here. In a human place called Shinjuku"

* * *

**Dark area: digital world**

Lillithmon had created a field of impenetrable darkness in her room; it was almost as dark as the master's courtroom. This was how he liked it, and lillithmon was the type to flirt with any being she considered powerful enough to be respected. And the master was most certainly powerful. His presence crashed down upon her mind causing her to flinch "Lillithmon, I have a task for you" she smiled sadistically "Anything master..."

"I want you to capture a Digimon; he is a rookie level currently residing in a human city known as Tokyo" lillithmon was surprised by this command _"What use could a rookie be to such a powerful being?" _"I ask respectfully my lord. Why do you want a _rookie_" The master laughed coldly "he is no normal rookie, his name is guilmon, and he possesses the hazard... i do not need to tell you how much power that will give project Armageddon..."

**

* * *

****Angewomon: project Armageddon? **

**Lady-D: somethin tells me this is gonna be good. **

**Zandermon: you're right there**

**Angewomon: so you're going to write the end of the world?**

**Zandermon: its "Armageddon" that`s what it means**

**Lady-D: but someone will save the world right... right... come on... if the world ends i die... you can`t kill me!**

**Angewomon: i think killing her is a good idea... BRING ON ARMAGEDDON!"**

**Zandermon: even if i do decide to destroy the entire universe, which i could very well be planning to do...**

**Lady-D: NOOOOOOOOOO!**

**Zandermon: ...it wouldn't be for a long time yet**

**Lady-D: phew...**

**Angewomon: so anyway, Zandermon would really like you to review**

**Zandermon: or i really will destroy the totality of existence HA HA HA HA HA HAA! ... I'm kidding... Zandermon out**

**

* * *

**


	5. Disappearance and Pain

**Zandermon: I would have liked this to be finished sooner but at least i got it finished at all**

**Angewomon: and don`t forget those two one shot story`s you wrote, I'd say that`s a rather good achievement for the time you did it in **

**Lady.D: I`m with the angel on this one**

**Angewomon: and if that wasn't enough your school teacher said he thought your one shot`s were great**

**Lady.D: sorry to correct ya there Hun but he actually said it looked like it would make a good movie **

**Zandermon: look, it doesn't matter. I don't own digimon. Now on with the chapter**

**

* * *

****Tamers: Guardian of The hazard [chapter 04: Disappearance and Pain]**

**Monday 19****th****/01/06**

**1.00Am**

Guilmon could smell the storm as well as hear and see it, black clouds swirled in a clockwise cyclone high in the sky, and wind battered him as he watched from the entrance of his hut. Like the true cat she was, Gatomon was sleeping peacefully through the whole thing. There was no rain, just howling wind and strange purple static jumping from point to point in the sky above. In fact the air felt quite dry and warm.

Suddenly the sparks that previously had been playfully chasing each other in the sky darted to the ground. Strike after strike would make contact with the earth and after darting about as if searching for some lost item they would again return to the heavens, guilmon could see that the lights were coming closer but they held no fear for him, he watched in wonder as each bolt struck the ground just a little closer to where he stood, and only cried out in surprise when the largest one yet struck him and tore apart the very fabric of his being.

The clouds dispersed and the wind died down, the lightning vanished to its place of origin satisfied with the data it had collected. Far away in the dark area of the digital world beneath the surface in the way so many picture hell, lillithmon smiled and licked her lips "It is done, the hazard is here, and now it must be taken from the being that holds it"

* * *

**Dark area: The beasts jaw**

The cavern was almost completely dark but the little light there was blood red, the roof was barely visible and guilmon could see only two exits one was a small ruby archway at the back. The other was much larger and less attractive; it looked like the mouth of a titanic beast, seemingly a mile wide and over fifty feet tall, huge spears of rock clung to the distant arch of the mouth and many more lay below, but its appearance was not the only reason that guilmon chose the ruby arch

The mouth opened to a gorge far greater in size to the Grand Canyon on earth, the inky blackness shrouded the forms of whatever unholy digimon were the source of the terrible sounds, that caused a bead of freezing cold sweat to roll down guilmons face

The archway brought him into a long rocky tunnel lit only by a faintly glowing red moss, guilmon realised that there must have been some of the moss on the roof of the previous cave. But one thing bounced around in the young digimons mind above all else, fear. An icy feeling crept across guilmons skin as if he had passed through a ghost. This was, as he would soon find out, exactly what he had done.

A claw clamped down on guilmons right paw and a bakumon sneered in his face, another took his left claw and a third tied a leather cord tightly around his maw as a muzzle. Guilmon squirmed and fought but still more bakumon gathered around and kept him still. A new digimon floated out of the darkness and hovered before guilmon. He looked just like the bakumon except he was covered in a tattered cloak with a hood that let only his burning red eyes be seen; he carried a scythe in his hands and called himself phantomon "Take him to the chamber of the sleeping one" he said in a ghostly voice "if he has the power i am told then it is the only place that can hold him"

The phantomon reached out to guilmon allowing his hand to pass through the digimons scull, guilmon would never find out what or how it was done, but right then and there, guilmon passed out. "When you reach the chamber bind him in the dark chains, no power can break those"

Far of on the other side of the dark are in the citadel of hellmouth the second felt the power of Hazard enter his world, and it was "his world" he allowed that fool who called himself "the master" to rule only because it suited him, for now "That fool will gain the power he wants, but only because i wish for him to have it, and with the hazard at hand that power will be greater than any could have dreamed!"

* * *

**Shinjuku Park: 6.30Am**

Takato blinked stupidly, just minutes before in a fit of hysteria, Gatomon had told him that guilmon had vanished; she had pointed out the many scorch marks on the ground, and then fainted. Indeed guilmon was nowhere to be found and not even shouting to him that they had peanut butter had brought him out. He shook his head and made a decision "... to hell with school... i have to find guilmon

**

* * *

****The chamber of the sleeping one**

When guilmon opened his eyes the first thing he saw was what appeared to be a giant sleeping baby with batlike and black fur, the lower half of it`s body was bound in glowing black chains. Guilmon saw with horror that the same titanic chains that bound the sleeping one held him to, albeit much smaller versions but still large and somehow intimidating. A crack of light appeared in guilmons field of vision, slowly it began to widen, soon it was large enough to let someone through, as his eyes adjusted to the new light he saw that there still wasn't that much of it. As he puzzled over the strange lack of light he failed to notice the entrance of the woman until she stood directly in front of him.

She was tall and pale skinned, she possessed an amazing beauty... except for her right arm, it was decayed and frankly disgusting [that was why she had covered it with a shoulder length dark purple glove] but the rest of her made up for it by far. She wore a long dress that was as black as her lips "Hello young one..." she said in a soft sultry voice "My name is lillithmon, and yours is...?" Guilmon paused before answering, he wasn't sure if he should tell her... but maybe she could take him back to Takato and Gatomon "My name... guilmon, will you show me the way home? I don't like this place"

lillithmon smiled evilly "My dear guilmon, going home is quite out of the question, until i get what i want that is" guilmon naturally asked what it was she wanted and she replied "What i want guilmon, is this" she traced a finger over the hazard "Or rather, my master wants it, are you aware of your tamers power guilmon? I see by your face that you aren't, your tamer is part virus, the most powerful virus of all, the Hazard. Now what i want is to remove the hazard energy within you, and i know there is some, do you think just any human can create a digimon? And to cap it of, you have the mark of the hazard upon you; now tell me how to get it"

* * *

**10.00Am**

Gatomon groaned dejectedly "look, we aren't going to find him, nothing bad can happen to him he`s a dinosaur! So why don't we just go home and wait for him?" Takato wondered whether she had even listened to his answer the last five times she had asked "because Gatomon, mom will throw a fit if i come home before school is finished and even if she did let it slide i still want to find him, he could be in big trouble, dinosaur or not he`s a rookie, and without me to help him fight he`d have trouble if a mega got to him"

She snorted "and what are the chances of a mega bio-emerging?" Takato had no answer for that, he just had a terrible feeling that guilmon was in pain, and needed his help "look, we`ll split up and carry on searching, you go back to the park first, we could have missed something"

* * *

**The chamber**

Guilmon screamed in inconceivable pain, high voltage electrical energy coursed through his body, his data flickered and fragments drifted away. A nearby machine captured each individual one. Lillithmon had told him it would continue until the hazard emerged from his body, guilmon didn't understand fully what the hazard was but he hoped it would come out soon. The few times in the last hour he hadn't been screaming were only the sparse moments it took to draw breath.

Guilmon breathed a small sigh of relief when a small cluster of data particles different from all the rest drifted from his body and lillithmon signalled to the bakumon operating the electrical generator to stop "There..." she said in her crooning voice "... was it so hard?" a shout from the bakumon alerted her to the occurrence in the data capsule. One by one the pieces of Hazard energy contained in the machine committed suicide becoming worthless data.

Lillithmon turned back to him with badly concealed anger on her face "you new this would happen" she spat "Well... we`ll just have to try again won't we" The pain returned to the rookies body with twice the power, for the first time in his short life he wished for death, but lillithmon was to clever to let that happen.

* * *

**Shinjuku: Near rika`s home: 10.20Am**

Takato was mostly letting his feet take him on his way without thinking about the rout, occasionally he would call guilmons name hoping he would come out from behind that bush, or that bin, or rika`s garden. He stopped and shook his head _`rika`s house, how`d i get here? `_ He shrugged his shoulders and continued walking "Guilmon!" he yelled, no answer, no red dino running him down, nothing, except "Hey gogglehead!"

Takato flinched _`Oh damn, what`d i do? Wait, shouldn't she be at school? But then, shouldn't i" _"hey rika" he said out loud hoping she wasn't about to have a go at him for yelling. She Walked up to him with something that seemed to be her version of `a spring in your step` but to any one watching it didn't look much different from a depressed slouch "shouldn't you be at school?" he asked tenderly. She looked at him as if he had dribbled on his shirt "I didn't feel like it, why aren't you?"

"I`m... looking for guilmon, he`s sorta... well, disappeared" The redhead raised an eyebrow "disappeared? Don't you mean he ran away?" Takato shook his head quickly "No, its not like that, you see, he wasn't in his home this morning, neither Gatomon or me can find him, and somehow I'm positive that he`s hurting" _`How the hell does he know that? ` _she asked herself _`The idiots probably of somewhere devouring some unfortunate`s kitchen`_ "how do you know he`s hurting?" she asked. Takato looked confused "I don't know... i just, know that he is, and he needs me to find him... um, rika, would you mind, helping me look?"

She considered it for a moment; she had nothing better to do so... "Meh, its better than school i guess

* * *

**The chamber**

Original tactics having failed, lillithmon had turned to surgery. The devises connected to guilmon that stimulated the regeneration of his data were the only reason he still lived. Assorted demon digimon all loyal to her hacked at his flesh, removing data for analysis, the weakling had long since lost conciseness, they had gathered huge amounts of hazard data but still it annihilated itself rather than let them keep it. It seemed to lillithmon that the hazard had accepted guilmon and his tamer as its masters and refused to do the bidding of any other.

"Why would such a powerful force submit to a being that faints at the sight of its own blood?" she asked herself looking contemptuously at the red digimon "It makes no sense"

* * *

**Streets of east Shinjuku: 10:45Am**

"So... uh, you wanna talk?" Rika gave him an intimidating look "Why would i want that?" he recoiled from the steely tone in her voice "Uh, no reason, really, i just thought it might be a, good idea" Her tone became sarcastic "Yea Takato, what a fabulous idea, lets both talk and reveal our deepest feeling, as if"

Takato flushed and mumbled an apology. Rika surprised him then by saying "what sorta talking did you have in mind?" he rubbed the back of his head and frowned "Um... i don't know... how`d you meet Renamon... What`s your grandma like, whatever"

Rika thought about the questions and decided she would avoid family questions "I met Renamon after i won a card tournament last year, I wanted a strong partner, and then, there she was" at the mention of the previous years tournament Takato began to study the girls face, when she stopped talking, it suddenly hit him "hold on your..." rika cut him off angrily "Yes, i know, rika Nonoka, digimon queen and all that crap, don't you dare go all "fan boy" on me Takato or i swear i will kill you"

Takato bit his lip and went silent. Rika raised an eyebrow at him and said "Hey, here`s a good question, how the hell did you end up with two partners?" Takato relaxed a little feeling he was out of the anger zone "well, Gatomon just showed up in the back room of my parents bakery, and later after we fought this centaurumon this thing appeared" he tapped his pocket where he kept his digivice "When we figured out that the slot thing was for scanning cards, Gatomon suggested i scan a drawing... you know, just for the sake of curiosity..."

Rika was beginning to gain interest, was this going where she thought it was? "... anyway i did what she suggested and scanned a drawing of a digimon I'd created, it was called guilmon, next thing i know there`s a digiegg on my desk and Gatomon`s joking about how it`s sorta like she`s the mother... you know, seeing as the egg came from her digivice"

Her head was spinning with confusion... but she wasn`t about to let the gogglehead know that so she filled her voice with scorn "ha! As if, digimon cant be parents, it`s not as if there alive or anything" Takato stopped in his tracks and stared at he aghast "You... you don't think digimon are alive...?"

* * *

**The chamber**

"So, guilmon, what is your tamer like?" lillithmon had resorted to playing nice with the dino in her pursuit of the hazard. Guilmon looked suspicious but she had found him to be surprisingly forgiving "Takato is my best friend, he`s brave, he looks after me, and his friends, and the best part is, he knows how to make bread!" lillithmon had no clue what `bread` was but she smiled all the same.

"And what of your friends, what are they like, the Gatomon the terriermon and the... Renamon? You mentioned earlier" guilmons answered with a look of such childlike happiness that Lillithmon felt suddenly ill "terriermon is really funny, but his tamer doesn't think so. Gatomon`s super nice and looks after me like a mommy when Takato`s not there. And Renamon, she`s smart, and other than Takato she`s my best friend, the funny thing is she says hello by kicking you into trees and throwing sharp stuff"

Lillithmon was a patient person [unlike some of the other demon lords] but she detested talk of friends "hmm... yes, wonderful. So what does Takato know about the hazard?" guilmon cocked his head to one side "Why do you want that red stuff so much?" lillithmon gritted her teeth "Because... i want to give it to a friend of mine for his birthday" the dino smiled happily "That's nice... but you really hurt me trying to get, so... I'll tell you what Takato knows if you say you're sorry"

Lillithmon felt excitement rise, she was making progress "Ok guilmon, I`m... I`m... I`m sorry" she winced, a demon was not supposed to say that word. Guilmon grinned "Ok, I`ll tell you, Takato knows... actually i don't have a clue what Takato knows... sorry" lillithmon was enraged, to avoid killing the creature [and only because she had been instructed not to] she left the chamber without another word.

* * *

**Department store: 11.15Am**

Guilmon being the glutton he was Takato had begun to search anywhere that had large quantities of food, mainly bread. All the while since he had learned Takato had been trying to get the concept of a digimon being alive into rika`s head. Every time he thought he had gotten it through to her she came up with a new argument against digimon life but he could see that she was rapidly running out of arguments

"look rika, this is a bit technical for me, i usually try to avoid things i learn in school, but the definition of life is for the thing in question to, one, eat, two, reproduce, and as we can see from digiegg`s and digimon like lillymon and angewomon who both have breasts they must do that. Digimon also sleep, go to the bathroom, although i doubt you`ve ever seen Renamon do that, but my biggest proof is this, both guilmon and Gatomon have had dreams"

She opened her mouth to argue again, but closed it when she found nothing to say, except "Oh damn, what have i done?"

* * *

Not far away hiding in the shadows, Renamon watched her tamer with a smile [or rather, her foxlike equivalent] "Rika... I`m so glad you finely understand"

* * *

**Outside: 11.26Am**

They left the store with an unsurprising lack of a certain red dinosaur. Were she anyone else Takato would have put an arm around rika`s shoulders in comfort, she had not said a word since she had understood, but unfortunately, being who she was rika would probably have taken it the wrong way and knocked him to the ground [or worse] so Takato kept at a sensible distance.

Renamon followed along the rooftops waiting for the two to reach a spot with no people around to see her [and this being Japan there were very few such places] as she followed the kitsune wondered why the two were walking together, having spent most of her life in the digital world and only one year in the human one she had had little understanding of the profane words the girl had used to describe the goggle wearing male.

Rika could not think what she would say to her digimon when she next saw her; sorry was the obvious thing to say but the real question was `how` to say it. How to apologise for over a year of mistreatment, unknowing or not there was still no excuse. Renamon appeared in front of them just as they turned into one of the rare backstreets that usually stayed empty during the day [they were inhabited by drug dealers by night] this one led past a rather less known bakery than Takato`s but there was still a chance that guilmon might have attempted a raid.

Takato yelped when the fox fazed in right between him and the girl "Jeez Renamon, you scared me" Renamon ignored him and paid all her attention to the girl "Rika, are you feeling alright?" Rika remembered that she had asked the same question before, and she had sent the digimon away, this time she would respond in the way she new the fox hoped for "Yea Renamon, I`m fine, and you?" Renamon smiled for the second time that day "I`m wonderful rika, just wonderful"

She looked as if she might have said more but rika spoke again, sounding as if she where trying to get it all out before she changed her mind "I`m sorry, for everything, for treating you badly for over a year, and for sending you away when you where trying to help"

The grin Renamon gave the girl looked un-natural and almost scary on he fox-face but it seemed to comfort rika "I forgive you rika, i always will" Takato was beginning to get impatient to continue the search for his lost partner but did not want to spoil there moment [rika would have killed him anyway] luckily Renamon chose that moment to ask "Why are you walking with Takato? I thought you didn't like him"

If it weren't for the fact that she was rika Nonoka, Takato would have sworn he saw a faint blush "I don't like him, and I`m not walking with him, I`m just helping him look for his runaway partner" Renamon looked surprised "Gatomon ran away?" Takato answered "No, It`s guilmon, and i already told rika, he wouldn't run away, he gets curios, he was probably exploring but something bad must have happened"

"Why do you think that?" the fox asked, she looked troubled "Because," rika interrupted "Gogglehead`s spidy senses have been telling him that guilmons hurting" Renamons eyes widened "Guilmons hurting? How? My diamond storm would never even touch him, and that's destroyed champions!" Takato shook his head and told her that he just didn't know. Renamon thought for a moment then said "I`ll go look for him, stay out of trouble"

As the fox left Takato asked "What trouble would we possibly get into?" the answer was simple "Your humans, your always getting into trouble, I`ve seen the... news... through shop windows"

* * *

**Lillithmon`s bedchamber **

"Hmm... maybe he really doesn't know anything" lillithmon wondered out loud "even the least intelligent or the bravest would have had the sense to give me the knowledge i want by now, I`m sure of that" she had racked her brains, she had tortured him, she had tried surgery, she had tried... being, she shuddered, she had tried being, _nice..._ what the hell could she do now. "Excuse me My Lady..." lillithmon did not need to look for the source of the voice, out of all her underlings Only phantomon dared interrupt her in her chambers [he could just vanish if she was in a bad mood] "What is it phantomon?"

"I wondered if you would accept my humble advice?" lillithmon pondered the suggestion, she hated to look stupid, but phantomon could be very intelligent at time "Yes, tell me" the ghost nodded [or, he seemed to anyway, he always kept his hood up] "It seems to me, that the tamer of this... guilmon, would know more of the hazard than the one we have... i know our, methods, of bringing the digimon to us do not work on humans but if we let it be known where the Mon is... then the tamer may come to us"

She did not like being stupid, but sometimes she thought she must be _"how can i not have thought that? It`s so simple"_ "tell your most trusted bakumon to take the ninth tribe and disguises himself, send them to wait for the tamer to come and lure him here, do not allow him t know he is being led, i want him to walk into my chamber willingly, and then... and then he will suffer, and when he gives us the hazard, we will kill him, along with his pet..."

She paused then said "send someone through the gate to lead the tamer to it, he has a Gatomon as a second partner, if you show it to her she will find her tamer and inform him... do i need to tell you to make it discrete?"

"No my lady... and I will do this myself"

* * *

**Shinjuku Park: 11.55Am**

Gatomon shivered as she felt a sensation like a frozen hand stroking her stomach [this was of course phantomon who had always been a bit of a pervert] a gentle breeze blew a few leaves a little way down the path. For a reason she could not explain, Gatomon felt the need to chase the leaves _"this is what happens when you hang out with people like Takato and guilmon" _she thought _"you become just as weird"_

Despite these thoughts the cat followed the leaves as another breeze caused them to turn on a right angle down a different path "well, let's follow the yellow brick road" she laughed as she chased after the leaves.

* * *

**Outside Matsuki bakery: 12:06Pm**

"I am **not **going into your house gogglehead" Takato sighed "think back a bit rika, i never asked you to" the girl frowned "but you implied it, why check here anyway? I thought you said he lived in the park" he nodded "Yea, but he was born here, he had his first meal here"

"Won`t your parents be surprised to see you before the end of school?" Takato swore "Damn, i forgot... well, maybe you could go in and look while you buy some...ouch!" he rubbed his face where rika had punched him "I, AM, NOT, GOING, INTO, YOUR, HOUSE" she emphasised each word with venom. Takato smiled apologetically "alright, sorry rika"

"Uh, guys, not wanting to spoil the lovers spat but we may have a problem" Gatomon raced up and hopped onto Takato`s shoulder. Veins pulsed visibly on rika`s face "WHAT DID THE BLOODY CAT SAY!" Takato flinched and raised his hands to protect his face "she said it not me!" he yelped. Gatomon looked at him incredulously "Some tamer you are" she too yelped as rika grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and glared at her with cold angry eyes while grinding her teeth.

The cat laughed nervously "ha ha, uh, sorry?" the furious girl shook her head "Nope, not gonna do the job cat" Several beatings later a rather dazed Gatomon rubbed her throbbing head and glared daggers at her tamer "Oh yea, thanks for the help Takato, I`ve a good mind not to tell you my news" Takao rubbed the back of his head nervously "Sorry Gatomon... It`s just, I think rika`s the type to be harder on the ones who get in her way than the ones she wants to beat" said girl smiled in a sinister `James bond villain` kind of way "I think your getting the hang of this gogglehead"

Gatomon tried to avoid eye contact with the overly violent girl and kept her gaze on her tamer "Well, do you wanna hear what i found" he nodded quickly "Good, I found a digital gate in the park`s fountain, and if you're tiny mind can't figure it out, that means guilmon could very well be in the digital world" She blinked and looked around, it took her a moment to realise that the boy had bolted at the words `digital gate` and `fountain`. Rika called her partner who materialised in the same annoying way she always did "what is it rika?"

"The nice kitty here says there`s a digital gate, we're gonna check it out" Gatomon cringed at the word `kitty` but knew she couldn't really complain. Although Renamon did not look it she was quite surprised "I do not understand how it is that i did not sense it before, or Gatomon for that matter" rika pointed out that it was the `kitty` [Gatomon now realised it would be a long time before she lost that name] that had found it in the first place.

Gatomon interrupted them "Hello, I think we should go after Takato, the digital world is not the place for a lone human"

* * *

**Shinjuku Park: water fountain: 12.16Am**

They arrived running at full pelt in time to see the goggle wearing teenager vanish through the swirling light hidden in the water. Gatomon raced after him without hesitation. Renamon looked as if she where ready to leap after them but rika stopped her "What are you doing?"

Renamon stared at her with cool eyes "Why are we here if not to go with them? They will need our help, guilmon will need our help" rika shook her head "you don't know that, it could all be a false alarm" Renamon said nothing but instead continued toward the gate. Before stepping through she turned for a last word "We need to go rika" and then she was gone.

Rika sighed resentfully, she had no choice now, and so without further hesitation rika Nonoka stepped through the gate and left her world behind.

* * *

**Zandermon: so what`d you think? Good? Bad? Come on, I`m dyeing for more reviews**

**Angewomon: hooray for reviews! **

**Lady.D: Oh, and could you send some chocolate with your review**

**Angewomon: please, ignore her, she`s a cow**

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	6. New Horizons

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* * *

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Zandermon: So, to start off i would like to sincerely apologise for taking so long with this chapter, it wasn't writers block or anything i just spent two weeks at my nana`s so i had no time... enough with the excuses, now personally i think this chapter is `Mega` cool, but I'd really like your opinion, so when your done reading, please review.

**Angewomon: yea, so what's new in this chapter?**

**Lady.D: where dying to find out**

**Zandermon: well, Jeri kazu and kenta are back, and Takato rika Gatomon and Renamon get into serious trouble**

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* * *

****Tamers: Guardian of The hazard [chapter 05: New Horizons]**

**Tuesday 20****th****/01/06**

**12.00Am**

Henry Wong toyed nervously with the suspicious looking chocolate pudding that had been scooped into his bowl by an apron wearing creature, which was unidentifiable as male or female. Beside him with a look of profound disgust a similar pudding was discarded by a young girl with brown hair. Deciding that the girl's decision was wise Henry put aside the bio-hazardous material and introduced himself. "Hi, I`m Henry"

Jeri Kato diverted her attention from the so called `pudding` and smiled at the blue haired boy who had spoken "Nice to meet you, I`m Jeri" Henry blinked "your not the same Jeri Takato mentioned are you?" the smile left her face to be replaced by worry "Yea, i am, do you know where he is? He wasn't in class this morning, or yesterday"

Henry frowned, partially for the absence of a certain gogglehead, but mostly for the condition of something that was supposed to be a corned beef sandwich "hmm, well i suppose he`ll be fine, he probably just had a stomach ache"

Jeri bobbed her head in agreement "all the same, i think we should check on him"

* * *

**Digital world**

Rika blearily opened her eyes and rubbed her throbbing head. Above her she could see two strange blurry shapes that seemed to be talking. It took her a moment to realise that she was rubbing some sort of cloth that had been wrapped around her head.

"Rika? You alright?" one of the blobs waved a hand in front of her "A rock broke your fall, i guess your head really hurts" her vision cleared allowing her to see a concerned gogglehead just inches away. Before another word was spoken Takato was sent reeling by a full swing punch from the now fully awake rika.

The cloth binding rika`s head was in fact the left sleeve of Takato`s shirt. Upon noticing this detail rika considered apologising, but her pride would not allow it "What the hell are you doing gogglehead!?" Takato rubbed his nose "I was `trying` to help, that's why my sleeve`s stopping the bleeding"

She again touched the strip of cloth and noted a large amount of dried blood "Um, well... thanks i guess" Gatomon would have made another lovers joke but still felt the bruises from the last time "Don`t thank him he was too busy panicking to think of that, it was my idea" rika rolled her eyes and ignored her. The terrain around her was simply sand and rock as far as she could see, the only thing that really stood out in all the nothingness was the absence of her partner "Where`s Renamon?"

Takato opened his mouth to rely, then looked confused and shut it again. After a moment of thought he said "Well... I`m not sure, she either said I`m gonna look for some food or, I`m tired and in a bad mood... I wasn't really listening"

His stupidity really got under her skin, for anyone else you would say that something inside them snapped, but for rika, that something had snapped and been patched so many times it was hardly worth saying "Damn it gogglehead! Thanks to you! We are standing in the Middle of a God Forsaken Digital Wasteland! With no food! No extra clothes! No blankets! Not even a God Damn Phone! For the entire Damn! Use it would be!"

The unfortunate gogglehead flinched with every other word. When the enraged girl had satisfied her emotions with yet more yelling and the occasional punch in the gut Takato managed to dig out a small amount of courage "Um... well i was in sort of a hurry, and you didn`t have to follo..."

He ate dirt as rika slammed him in the back of the head. Gatomon, who watched from what she hoped was a safe distance, stifled a laugh _"I probably should help him... not a chance!" _she didn`t stop the snort in time. Rika gave her an icy glare and began her advance. _"Damn"_ Gatomon thought _"I guess it`s clobbering time"_

Renamon returned with fruit in her arms to the scène of a pleased rika, sitting by the unconscious forms of the gogglehead, and his smart mouthed partner _"I think i might be best if i didn`t ask" _

* * *

**Shinjuku School: 3.00Pm**

The bell rang and as usual everyone stampeded from the classroom, except for Jeri, kazu, and kenta. The two boys looked longingly towards the door but stayed put as Jeri gathered her things.

Ms asaji concealed her surprise, normally the two of them would be first out of the door along with Takato matsuki... and speaking of Takato "Hey, Do you two know where Takato is? Not that i didn`t enjoy not having to wake him up for two whole days, but still..."

Jeri slid her flute case into her bag and hoisted it onto her shoulders "Where not sure, the three of us where going to check his place, see if he`s all right" The teacher nodded "good idea, and tell him that unless he`s in a terminal condition i want him back at school O_n Time_, tomorrow morning"

The three friends nodded and left the room hurriedly. They where met at the gates by the blue haired Henry Wong "Hey Jeri..." he glanced and the two following behind her "Kazu and kenta right? Nice to meet you"

After the handshakes and the general formalities the newly formed group fell into line behind Jeri who, for some reason, was the only one who new the location of Takato`s home. As kazu thought this over, the oddity of it hit him "Hey, how come you know where he lives when i don't? And I've been his friend for the more than a year longer then the rest of you!"

Jeri giggled "I don't know kazu, maybe you just aren't clever enough to figure out that Takato`s name is `matsuki` and there`s a `matsuki bakery` right here in Shinjuku"

Kenta looked at her suspiciously "You sure there`s no other reason?" the girl flushed "Well, my dad sends me there to get all our bread... and i went over for dinner once" seeing the smirks on there faces she hurriedly added "Only once! And it was his mom`s idea, you know, me being a regular customer and a friend of her son"

The goofball twins went into uncontrollable laughter while Henry tried to look as if he hadn't heard a word.

* * *

**Digital world**

Takato cushioned her fall e as the group fell from the swirling pink vortex into a vast digital rainforest. Takato gained another punch from rika despite the fact that it was her who had fallen on him. Renamon had identified the vortex as a `Data Stream` and told them to run, but despite there best efforts the thing had sucked them up and deposited them in a completely different area of the digital world. Renamon landed gracefully as always, and as everyone knows `cats always land on there feet`

Surprisingly there seemed to be no data streams at all in this area, except for the one that had dropped them here in the first place, and that one seemed to be fading away. Renamon had always believed it had something to do with the seemingly barren desert they had been in just moments prior.

Not only was that area the closest point to the human world, but most of the data there was unformed, simple waste that took the appearance of sand and rock, much easier to transport than an entire digital tree of city.

Gatomon was worried for her tamer, the reality of the digital worlds size was beginning to sink in. Although she new that he would never give up even in a situation that seemed hopeless to him, what if guilmon was never found? What if they searched for years? Even if they eventually managed to comb through every square inch of the southern quadrant, maybe even the others, what if guilmon had been destroyed? Or was never here at all?

How would he take it? In some ways his bond with guilmon was even greater then the one he had with her, he had created guilmon, and now his creation might not be found.

The tamer in question had already begun searching the area unnoticed by the others who where either dusting themselves of or deep in thought. Contrary to Gatomon`s worries, he was mostly fine except for a few bruises, and most of them inflicted by rika. He was confident he could find guilmon despite the digital world`s size, even if her searched his entire life.

A slight tremor rippled through the ground. He looked behind him and saw that he had already left the rest of the group behind and out of sight. He continued his search peering through the trees for any sign of a red dinosaur.

The trembling grew stronger, now accompanied by a far off rumbling sound. Ignoring all the warnings Takato continued on refusing to let anything stop him.

By now the other`s had noticed his absence, Gatomon was beginning to panic and babble. Rika wanted to knock some sense into the cat. Her pleasant dreams of stringing the cat up in a tree by her tail vanished as the trembles reached the ground below her feet. "What...?" the tremble picked up becoming a shake, leaves fell from a nearby tree, then...

"Aaaaarrrg....."

Takato`s yell echoed around them and suddenly he burst through the trees and a run panting "Run! Run! Run! Run! RUN! RUUNN!!!....."

He bolted past them trying to grab rika`s hand on the way, she pulled her hand back and looked in the direction he had come. The shaking had now become an earthquake of unbelievable magnitude, it would have knocked her to the ground had not Renamon held her up.

Renamon also peered through the tree`s, with her superior vision she easily saw the oncoming \danger "Takato was right, time to run"

Knowing that Renamon would not run lightly rika bolted, just as hundreds of digimon crashed through the trees all of them huge, and most champions, each one had a look of supreme fear on there faces [the ones that had faces anyway]

Two minuets at full pelt with Renamon and Gatomon in tow sufficed to catch up with the high speed gogglehead. He glanced over at her without slowing and spoke breathlessly "S, So, you re, realised you, had to, run, away...?" She nodded, finding herself incapable of speech. Takato looked up at the titanic tree`s surrounding them "You, you think we, have, time to, climb, a tree?"

Rika glanced over her shoulder at the gaining digimon and shook her head. Renamon however picked up Gatomon by the tail and put an arm around each of the tamers, and the four of the vanished – not that any of there pursuers noticed, they where too frightened.

* * *

The world around flickered and warped, giving it the appearance of a ghost image on a screen. The digimon behind them continued there rampage but it didn't seem to matter, as suddenly the four of them stood on a large ghost branch, and then....

* * *

... Everything returned to normal, far below them countless digimon raced by, unaware of there existence.

Rika bit back the nausea and turned to look in the direction they had come from. Renamon, Gatomon, and Takato still watched the stampeding digimon, but here, high in the tree`s, there reason for running became apparent.

Two huge digimon [far of but easily visible from the branch] fought like there was no tomorrow, but the thing that made them so terrifying, was that they were angry, feral, and destructive virus types, ScullGreymon.

Rika had to swallow a lump in her throat "Uh, you know, we may have a problem here..." the two digimon and the human boy turned to look, and immediately froze. Takato rubbed his temples "Can anyone think of a way for this to get worse?"

Apparently the ScullGreymon could. One of them struck the other with a colossal force sending it to the ground. **"Dark Shot!!"** the downed ScullGreymon burst into data to be absorbed by the other, with terrible consequence.

"**ScullGreymon digivolve to...!**

The ScullGreymon was consumed by roaring black flames. The fire burned itself out and the new form was visible. A seven foot tall humanoid dragon, with death black armour and orange hair.

**...BlackWargreymon!"**

Takato`s word`s of response were, of course, a completely useless understatement "Aww crap!"

* * *

**Matsuki bakery: 3.45Pm**

"Um, excuse me" Henry smiled at the woman behind the counter, she had a smile on her face but somehow Henry thought she looked worried "Mrs Matsuki?" the woman nodded "We`re friends of Takato, do you know where he is?"

The woman took a deep breath and shook her head "No... I haven't seen him since yesterday morning..." suddenly the worry drained from her face to be replaced by anger "If you find him, tell him he`s grounded! And as soon as he gets home he`s doing that homework! No more putting it off!"

With a great many nod`s and assurances that they would pass on the message the group backed out of the door.

"Well that`s that then" Jeri said with a worried nod "Takato`s definitely in trouble"

* * *

**Digital world**

An entire section of rainforest went up in flames from yet another `terra destroyer` from the berserker BlackWargreymon. Rika would normally have wanted to stand and fight, but the situation was well against them. Gatomon had jumped onto the first available shoulder, which just happened to be rika`s, the minuet the group had begun running.

Somewhere along the line they had become separated from Takato and Renamon. The destructive mega level chasing them had already destroyed and loaded the data of all the digimon that had fled from the battle between the two ScullGreymon. Now it ruthlessly chased them obviously having nothing better to do.

"I am gonna kill that damn gogglehead!"

* * *

Takato also ran but with the added handicap of having to restrain Renamon every five minuets, from attempting to either find rika, or take on the mega single handily "Renamon do you se the size of those fireballs? If you run off and get yourself burned to a digital crisp, rika will be even worse off than she is now!"

Whatever answer she would have given was cut of by another explosion somewhere of the there right, it had been a little to close for comfort. _`I think his aim`s getting better, bad sign, oh damn she trying to leave again`_

Just as he was going to grab the fox `yet again` the air was filled with the roar of flame`s, and one of the mega`s attacks finely hit it`s target.

* * *

Rika saw the attack hit the ground, she also saw the digimon heading towards the ground and disappearing among the tree`s.

_`Oh god...` _she thought_ `what if he got them`_

* * *

Wizardmon put every ounce of his energy into the shield, and invisible barrier that was the only thing standing between the human and total destruction. Behind him the human male and the Renamon he assumed was his partner watched him and the shield with shock and wariness. The pressure on the barrier lifted and he dropped the shield.

Takato stared at the small man; he was dressed somewhat like a carnival magician with his purple pointy hat and cape, a bandana covered his mouth and the staff in his hand had an imitation sun on one end. The wizardmon turned to them and spoke for the first time "Look, if you don't want to die your gonna have to trust me alright?" Takato nodded as did Renamon but with some reluctance.

"Good" the wizard closed his eyes and concentrated on his powers, as the BlackWargreymon flew towards them, he began to create exact copy`s of himself.

* * *

Rika kept her eyes on the spot where she had last seen the BlackWargreymon _`damn it! He must have loaded there data by now` _

What happened next was rather unexpected. Bolts of lightning shot up into the sky aimed at the mega who was trying in vain to dodge. A small purple figure rose into the air, and another, and another. Soon hundreds of them surrounded the mega firing bolt after bolt of electricity.

Gatomon narrowed her eyes into a squint "I, I think those are wizardmon!"

As the watched the rogue mega clawed his way through the wizardmon one by one, but each time he did five more appeared to take its place. Rika shook her head "What the hell is going on?"

* * *

**Domain**

A thin slash of light cut through the air, slowly, it widened, becoming a hole in space. Beyond the hole a forest was visible. Takato gasped as he fell through the doorway landing flat on his face. Renamon followed, albeit much more gracefully. The real wizardmon stepped through behind them leaving the copy`s to fight for themselves "What will happen to the other wizardmon?" Renamon queried.

"They will simply disappear as soon as i close the gate, they weren't really anything more than trick`s of the light"

As the gate closed Takato dragged himself to his feet and dusted himself off. The forest was gone; the ground was plain hard dirt. Not far away there stood an almost perfect replica of a human city, minus the humans and advertising gimmicks.

It might have been better to say that it was a replica of human _City`s_ there where buildings of countless shapes and styles. American skyscrapers, London flats, regular single homes, and even a few shops.

Digimon inhabited the city, everything from baby to ultimate. Takato gaped at the buildings and there inhabitants, they amazed him no end.

Renamon was slightly less impressed, having seen city`s in both human and digital world`s before and being a digimon herself there was nothing that spectacular for her. She did however; feel much like a human tourist would upon his/her first visit to a famous place such as Rome or Hong Kong.

A rather pretty lilamon, much like a plant-human crossover, approached them with an alluring smile on her face. Her voice when she spoke while being sweet and bubbly, held intelligence and an air of practised authority. She gave the impression of having a split personality, one minuet the tall and attractive leader, the next a crazy blond school girl.

Hi, my name is lilamon, it`s a pleasure to meet a human and his partner, especially when the human`s so cute"

Takato flushed red "

I, well... it`s nice to meet you too but, well, Ya see, Renamon isn't _my _partner. My Gatomon and Renamons tamer are still back in that forest. And guilmon... well, i don't know where guilmon is"

Lilamon nodded calmly, going into leader mode "I see, well in that case i suggest that you and Renamon follow wizardmon to his quarters, I am sure he can find room for you. Tomorrow when you have eaten and slept you will receive help in searching for your lost companions" she nodded to the wizardmon, signalling for him to take them away.

Takato wanted to return and start searching immodestly, as did Renamon, but they where given little choice as Wizardmon herded them sway, talking of the food and drink he possessed in his stores.

* * *

**Wizardmons room**

Night fell quickly in the digital world; there was no sunset, and no dusk, just a sudden all prevailing darkness.

According to wizardmon, the interior of each digimons home was perfectly adapted for there individual needs and attributes. Wizardmon led them to a New York style apartment building, his room was on the first floor.

As they walked along the first floor corridor towards room 117, Takato saw a startling difference between each door. He could only imagine what strange ways they could be decorated on the inside. One door appeared to have been carved out of a colossal fungi, another looked like something out of Star trek.

Room 117 had a medieval style oak door, almost three inches thick and bearing an ancient rusted key hole. The inside looked like it had been taken right out of a king Arthur movie, complete with a spindly table in the corner full of alchemist equipment.

It appeared to be both a laboratory and a bedroom, at the same time as being a bathroom and a chemist`s shop. A chandelier hung from the roof holding half burned out candles. The room would have been cramped had it not been so large in the first place, even the large but plain bed managed to fit in without creating a claustrophobic atmosphere.

The door shut without being touched, the hinges creaked startling the human boy. Wizardmon seemed to speak to the wall, the stones melted away as if they were politely stepping aside for a friend. Takato half expected it to turn out to be full of magical equipment, he was disappointed to see a simple airing cupboard.

The Wizard pulled out a rolled up camp bed and placed it on the floor next to an ash table full of vials and bottles "There, If its to soft, or to hard for your liking just ask it nicely to change" he turned his gaze to Renamon "I know the Renamon species only sleep lying down in..." he coughed "... well, special conditions. I assume these conditions are not currently in action?"

Renamon shook her head, the Wizardmon looked relived. Turning back to Takato he said "Oh, and don't knock the table in your sleep, those vials are full of acidic chemicals"

* * *

Bakumon had disguised himself according to phantomon`s orders, had it not been for wizardmon, it would have been he who saved the human tamer. His plan had been simple, set up a fight, point the winner in the tamer`s direction, save the tamer, then _help _the boy find his lost partner by taking him to the dark area.

Plan B would have to do. He peered out of the bushes at the sleeping human girl and the Gatomon. At a simple gesture, the tribe moved in and surrounded them.

Gatomon woke to see the large and ugly face of the eldest tribe member. Before she could react or wake rika, a club smacked into her head, and the world went dark.

* * *

"Aaaaaarrgggg!!!"

Renamon winced as her sensitive ears picked up Takato`s yell, evidently his first sight of the morning had bee Wizardmon's older brother.

She was right; the unfortunate boy had opened his eyes to find a six foot tall decayed corpse rapped in bandages and holding a gun, staring him right in the face. Mummymon leapt back in surprise "Well i know I'm not exactly handsome but was that really necessary?"

Takato rubbed the back of his head nervously "Uh... ha ha, sorry about that, you just surprised me is all" The corpse laughed "Hey, ha ha, don't worry bout it, I`m used to it, even from other digimon, they say it`s the stuff inside that counts... problem is being a mummy i got nothing inside, no internal organs"

Takato could imagine that the absence of such things wouldn't make for a great time "wow... that must really suck"

"Yep, it does, so anyways; let's get a lookin for these friends a yours

* * *

Gatomon slowly came to; her head throbbed.

"DAMN IT!!" evidently rika was also awake "Rika... would you mind not yelling so loud... my head hurts" she yelped as the human grabbed her by the scruff of the neck "THIS IS YOUR DAMN FAULT YOU F*****G CAT!!!"

Knifes dug into her brain, or maybe an microscopic evil digimon was eating her cerebellum "What`s my fault? Please stop shouting..." Next thing she knew her face was pressed against the steel mesh of the door to there... cage...? Why the hell were they in a cage?

Memories of the tribe elder and the club flooded back into her mind causing more pain "Yea... i suppose it is my fault" A new voice spoke out in the cage behind them "I would appreciate it if you would heed the words of the cat and keep you voice down"

Rika whipped round dropping Gatomon as she did so "Who are you?"

"I am Bokamon, keeper of the book"

* * *

Although he was the `older` brother, mummymon was by no means more intelligent. He wasn't stupid, but he was very slightly below average in the IQ department "So, uh, how, how do we do this thing? i mean, there`s a lot of trees to look behind"

Takato did not exactly have a plan [unless you count just wandering around with your eyes peeled to be a plan] but at least they had some idea of where to look. They had split of into groups, Wizardmon had gone one way, Takato and mummymon the other.

Renamon had gone off by herself; none of them had noticed the absence at first. Takato would have put a wager on Renamons search being the most fruitful "I`ll bet she`s already found them, and not bothered to come tell us"

* * *

He wasn't far of on his assumptions. Renamon had instinctively stalked a smallish green Goblin-like creature known as a Goblimon. It had stared at her without fear despite her deleting its partner. The two goblimon had apparently been some sort of scout.

The surviving goblimon had run off into the bushes and was now attempting stealth [and failing miserably] _"or maybe..._?" she though as she watched it check over it shoulder, she could have sworn that it saw her _"maybe its leading me somewhere...?"_

* * *

Takato and mummymon stared at the goblimon, the goblimon stared back. Somehow they had managed to get into a staring contest with it. Mummymon shook his head and turned away leaving Takato and the goblimon to fight it out with there eyes. The boy's eyes began to water, a muscle twitched in the goblimons face.

Takato blinked and the digimon bolted for the tree`s. It stopped just before leaving there line of vision and glanced at them briefly before running again.

Mummymon scratched at his bandages "Uh, you know, i think we should follow him" Takato nodded in agreement and the two of them raced after the fleeing goblimon, although neither new exactly why.

* * *

Wizardmon had had a similar experience [minus the staring contest] and was now perusing his own goblimon. Up ahead a second goblimon joined the first and suddenly Renamon was running beside him. A third goblimon joined his friends as Takato burst from the bushes with mummymon in tow.

Renamon was now sure that they where being led for a reason and heightened her guard.

It was only her increased perceptiveness that kept them from being taken unawares. A bicycle sized club complete with metal spikes missed her by inches. She flipped over landing a powerful kick in the face of the club wielder.

The owner of the club was Ogremon a six foot walking juggernaut with a bad temper. His green skin was as tough as leather and his teeth like nine inch nails. He swept the club in her general direction with in angry roar, this was probably the only thing he was capable of, his wild eyes held little intelligence.

She jumped up preparing a good sized diamond storm. She was about to release it when and insane laughter reached her ears from the ecstatic mummymon, who was already loading the Ogremon`s data "Ha-ha ha-ha, i love this crap, ha-ha" She let the attack fade and stared at the spot where the ogre had stood.

She hadn't even seen the mummy attack, one second the beast had been there and the next... it was gone.

Wizardmon gave her an apologetic look "Sorry about that, he`s obsessive compulsive..."

* * *

Rika stood defiantly in the centre of the cage with fists clenched tightly to her sides. She was fuming, these damn digimon had come up on them while they where sleeping, now she was in a cage as the classic trapped girl that needs to be saved. _"And that goggle-headed idiot will probably do some `knight in shining armour thing`! And then expect me to be grateful!_

Three goblimon burst into the camp looking as if they were being chased by the devil [which is an apt description of Renamon in a seriously bad mood]

"_**Diamond Storm!" **_the diamond shards pounded the goblimons backs deleting them instantly.

"_Oh wonderful..." _she thought sarcastically_ "the cavalry is here"_

* * *

Takato stopped dead in his track`s as he entered th camp "Ohhhh crap..."

The ninth tribe was practically and army of ogremon and goblimon, the numbered nearly seventy-five in total. Mummymon leaned closer to him with a demonic grin on his face "Here`s the plan, you and the others save your buddies while i blast these losers to hell"

The boy gulped as his over active imagination came into play "uh, how about you, um, help us clear a way to them, and... uh, then we all blast`em"

"As long as there's some blastin involved i don't really care about the plan" and without further ado the homicidal mummy cocked his gun and began shooting wildly. Renamon vanished and reappeared a moment later above the cage, she was attacking it with her fists.

Rika stood calmly in the cage, unfazed by the instant carnage these two actions caused. Gatomon was crouched defensively before the shaking bokamon. Goblimon climbed up onto the cage to do battle with the vixen who`s only interest now was her tamer.

Wizardmon too entered the fray his lightning bolts and clone illusions but inwardly he thought_ "Damn it! We should have thought about this more before allowing mummymon to have his fun"_ but homicidal or not he loved his brother.

They fought back to back, lightning from him and rapid fire laser`s from mummymon [who felt like a kid in a candy store]

For some reason none of the goblimon or ogremon seemed interested in Takato at all, in fact being the only one not fighting it seemed to him that none of them were giving it there all. He dodged and dived under legs and around clubs until he reached the cage that held his partner and his friend.

Renamon beat of the offending goblimon and returned to pummelling the cage. Two of the goblimon loaded the data from several of there comrades, a dull red light surrounded each one and soon they where replaced by a couple of angry fugamon.

Fugamon where mostly the same as ogremon except for there red-brown skin colour, and the yellow and black striped animal skin shorts.

With there added height they did not need to climb the cage, instead they swung there clubs at the vixens exposed back. Renamon had lost interest in the battle around her in her effort to save her tamer; when the first club struck her back and the second the side of her head she was completely unprepared.

Renamon tumbled to the ground as the fugamon moved in for the kill. Rika`s cool demeanour snapped, she ran forward, banged on the mesh bars and yelled "Hey! Ya Big Frigging B*******!!!! Get your Ugly Asses Away From Her!"

The two fugamon did not understand a word she said, but they had the brains to see that whatever she had said it was directed at them, and it wasn't a compliment. The slightly larger of the two swung his club at her in rage.

The club ripped a hole in the mesh and struck rika`s shoulder. She was thrown back and hit the opposite wall with great force, she fell to the ground almost unconscious, and her shoulder was dislocated. Renamons blood boiled and a vicious look over took her face.

Rika forced her eyes open to look at her partner "Y- You o-k...?" her eyes closed and her head slumped to one side. Renamon snarled at the fugamon who had now turned back to finish the job "Damn... You are going to get it bad.

In it`s pocket rika`s digivice glowed a sapphire blue and Renamon felt a new power "Time to die dumb-ass"

_**D-I-G-I-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N "**_

_**RENAMON DIGIVOLVE TO...**_

The kitsune`s data was ripped from is form to join the raging sapphire hurricane of information. In the centre of this vortex was the blue energy sphere that was her core, and her new body took shape around it.

The new Renamon was a huge white and yellow fox on all fours. Her paws burned with blue fire, as did the tips of each of her six tails. The flanks of her legs bore the symbol of the yin and the yang. A white and red rope was coiled around her neck. Her beautiful yet dangerous face held two scar-like streaks under each eye. Her name was called in a loud, clear voice.

_**...KYUUBIMON!!"**_

All present turned there gaze to the new digimon. Only Takato ignored her, he ducked under her legs and ran into the destroyed cage with rika. Gatomon squeezed through the hole and assumed a fighting stance beside Kyuubimon.

Wizardmon and mummymon took there positions on either side of Gatomon and Kyuubimon. Mummymon still looked as if he where having the time of his life as he raised his weapon and again began firing on the advancing enemy. Wizardmon looked tiered but firm, willing to continue but racking his brains for another way.

Kyuubimon hardly noticed her allies taking positions around her, all but mummymon obviously accepting her as the leader in this fight.

All six tails rose up, the flames intensifying, she closed her eyes and... **"Foxtail Inferno!"** all six flames leapt from there place`s on her tails and flew through the air picking there targets. One by one they collided with either a goblimon or an ogremon, destroying them totally.

As if this were the cue, wizardmon Gatomon and mummymon leapt back into the fray. Kyuubimon also battled, relentless, untiring. She attacked with her teeth; she attacked with the flaming foxtails, she darted about gaining barely a scratch.

But it seemed the ogremon and goblimons purely instinctive fighting was working in there favour, as a comrade died the closest to it would load the data and continued the fight. There numbers had dropped, but there strength had increased.

Only Kyuubimon managed to load her opponent before he empowered another. But more and more often a goblimon would digivolve, becoming either ogremon or fugamon.

Takato raised his eyes from rika`s wound`s for a split second _"sorta reminds me of that film highlander `there can be only one`"_

Kyuubimon clenched her eyes shut again to summon a stronger attack **"Dragon Wheel!" **her body became blue fire, it burst forward taking the shape of a dragon. She deleted her opponent and several others as well.

Kyuubimon backed away slowly when confronted with five ogremon at once. She felt her hind legs bump something; she turned her head to find that it had been Gatomon. Somehow the tribe had forced them to gather in a tight knit group, far away from the two tamers.

There did not appear to be any goblimon remaining and the majority of the champion virus`s that faced them where ogremon. Kyuubimon channelled her energy into her attack, she wished rika were awake to help her, she did not know if she could do this alone.

The tribe charged forward, there clubs raised. Kyuubimon released the fully charged `foxtail inferno. Three ogremon and a fugamon burst into fragments, Kyuubimon only managed to get the fugamon`s before the rest were loaded.

Even mummymon as the only present ultimate was beginning to have difficulty. There were few more than seven left; there might as well have been twenty.

Takato took another glance at the battle _"damn it! Kyuubimon is the only digimon with a tamer with enough experience for this" _"Rika wake up!" another glance told him that it was way past time to get himself involved _"What the hell was i doing sittin here staring at rika? Okay guys I`m a comin"_

Kyuubimon was just about to delete another ogremon when the gogglehead leapt onto it`s back with his arms clenched tight around it`s throat. Kyuubimon had seen the boy fight before and was fairly confident that he would survive. She turned her attack onto the next digimon in line, a fugamon.

It winced in pain... but no more. Mummymon clouted an ogremon in the head crushing the scull with the weapon; he took aim and fired point blank at the damaged head. The ogremon bit the dust [metaphorically]

"_Alright..." _Kyuubimon thought_ "Time to fight dirty"_ she jumped up flipping over in the air, she landed behind her opponent and ripped out is hamstrings with her teeth. It roared and fell to the ground to be destroyed by a fully charged `dragon wheel`

Cottoning on to the brains over brawn plan, Gatomon and wizardmon double teamed a particularly stupid fugamon, seconds later it was scrap data and Gatomon loaded it before it could rejuvenate another.

Takato`s grip tightened, the ogremon had dropped its club and was now helpless. It thrashed but that only made it worse as he ran out of air. With a final squeeze Takato felt the things neck snap, and he released it dropping to the ground, it splintered as it hit the ground.

The digimon surrounded the final three and fell upon them without mercy. Despite having killed one alone Takato turned away as the destroyed the last one. Although they had all fought violently only mummymon had enjoyed it the others felt guilty, but they knew that it would have done no good to let those three go, they would never have stopped.

* * *

After resting and eating a meal that wizardmon had somehow managed to fit into only one pocket before they had left to begin there search, the bokamon spoke. Until now he had not said a word but he did not sound scarred or jittery as would be expected from someone in his position, he sounded... confident. "May i ask what two humans are doing in the digital world?

Seeing no reason to hide what they where doing Takato said "we`re looking for a friend, he`s a five foot red dinosaur with yellow eyes and a symbol on his chest that looks like this..." he rolled up his shirt to show the digimon the full chest mark.

The bokamon raised an eyebrow "Ah, he has the hazard does he?" Rika gave Takato a questioning look, this was the first rika had heard of the hazard. Wizardmon had pushed her arm back into the socket and given her something that had brought the swelling down. He had also offered something to ease the pain which she had refused [to Takato`s surprise as he had dislocated a limb before and it hurt like hell]

Takato saw the look she gave him "Uhh... it`s, sort of a computer virus, that sorta got into my great great... i don't know how many great`s, anyway it got into my grandmother ... she passed it down, i gave it to guilmon... by accident, the full story`s a long one, might tell it Ya sometime"

He turned back to bokamon "So you know the hazard, do you know guilmon?" the little digimon shook his head "I do not, but despite that i think i know where he is"

"Where!?"

"I believe he will be in the dark area"

Gatomon snorted "This guys must`ve knocked his head on somethin, the dark area is a myth created to scare baby`s and in-training`s, believing in it is like believing in the demon lords... or that Santa Claus guy, they don't exist"

Bokamon gave her o look that somehow made her feel like a rookie again "They are real you foolish cat! And you would do well to remember it... except that Santa Claus, he`s just a load of hooey"

"The demon lords number seven in total; they are all mega level and each represent one of the seven deadly sins, wrath, lust, sloth, gluttony and so on. They would not hesitate to take something like the hazard, so it stands to reason that if they found out that he had it, they would take him.

Takato bit his lip, he did not like the sound of these demon lords one bit "What would they do once they had him...?"

"They would force him to give them the power they want, if he refused they would torture him, if that didn't work they would rip it out of his hide, then repeat the cycle either until he broke and told them, or if they found it themselves..."

Rika new already that the gogglehead and his dumb cat would be planning to find the demon lords and this `dark area` so she asked the last remaining question herself "How do we get there squirt?"

The bokamon ground his teeth "for one thing, do not call me squirt, for a second, there`s not a chance in digital hell that a human `_girl_` could make it halfway to the dark are_aaaaaahhhh...."_

One thing you soon learn whilst being friend`s with a girl like rika Nonoka, is to never call them a girl, another would be not to say that a girl is in someway inferior to the male population, but the worst would be to say both in one breath.

After several minuets [in which rika held the digimon down with her knees and beat him with her god arm] rika`s anger was satisfied and a slightly less confident digimon returned to his previous position. Once Takato was sure that he could speak without bringing anyone's wrath down onto his head, he continued with rika`s question "So... how do we get there, bokamon"

The bokamon grinned "Well, you star by going to the top of the tallest mountain in the infinity mountain range; there you will find a temple built of black marble. If you move the alter aside you will find a hole. After that it's a simple matter of surviving a thousand foot drop, finding your way through a catacomb of tunnels and caves avoiding really nasty evil digimon, the rivers of fire and the mountain`s of ice until you reach the dark area"

"The main city will still be quite a ways after that but once your there you just find where there keeping him and sneak in and out without detection which i might add is practically... impossible"

Takato`s mouth went dry, it sounded like something out of a cheesy yet terrifying horror movie "Your kidding me right...?" Bokamon rolled his eyes and spoke sarcastically "Yes of course, i was joking, when you move the alter there`s a nice five foot ladder made of digimon bones"

Takato missed the sarcasm; he looked relived "Really?"

"NO YOU IDIOT...! i was being sarcastic"

Rika stared at the bashful Takato _"how can he be so dense"_"Well then, point us in the right direction and we`ll be going"

Wizardmon spoke for the firs time in a while "Hey, well, I'd be fine taking to the mountain... but if it`s all the same with you I'd rather not actually go to the dark area, i got Goosebumps just listening to the little guy describe it"

The bokamon, also known as bakumon, grinned. His work was done

* * *

**The chamber**

"Guilmon, do you consider yourself intelligent?" The saurian paused in thought "hmm... I don't know, do you think I'm inteldigent?"

Lillithmon ground her teeth "It`s _intelligent _you idiot! Not _intelligent!, _my point is that any intelligent digimon would see that tamers are useless! The only purpose humans in general have ever had was to create us, the digimon"

"Many humans believe that they are the next stage up from a creature they call the ape, the rest believe in some sort of creator and it was that belief that created godramon, luckily he died. Anyway, humans believe they took over from the apes, whether that's true or not doesn't matter, but they pushed the apes away into small forest areas, took there homes to make luxury items."

"We, the digimon, are the next stage, and we must do to them what they did to the ape! To take this to a new level, the other demon lords and i think that the virus types are the most powerful and advanced of all digimon! Therefore, you are a hundred times better than that miserable and disgusting being you call a tamer! Despite being such an idiot!"

Guilmon felt a fire ignite in his belly; lillithmon continued talking unaware of the danger. She leaned closer "So here what's going to happen, one way or another we will rip that hazard from your body! And with it we will obliterate the vaccines! Destroy the data`s! Including all those other traitorous digimon in the human world! Especially that weakling Renamon!"

She said the last just to rile him up, and rile him it did.

He lost complete control and slashed at the mega`s face leaving three deep scars on the left side. Lillithmon screamed and clasped her hands to the wounds, but not in time to prevent the now useless eye from falling from the decimated socket.

She fled the room screaming in pain and rage, blood poured from her face like a river. Guilmon just crouched there at the back of the chamber, growling like a rabid dog.

* * *

**Zandermon: Well that's it and if it`s not too much trouble would you please leave a review. Again I'd like to apologise for the late delivery of this chapter, but hey! At least i got it up at all.**

**Zandermon out**

**)))000(((**

* * *


	7. Enter the dark area

**Zandermon: I`M SOOO SORRY!! THIS TOOK SO DAMN LONG!!! I HATE MYSELF! I FEEL HORRIBLE!!!**

**Zandermon: Ok, so here it is for the few beloved readers who have read this story from the beginning to here, those who have reviewed, who have placed me on author alert and read chapters as soon as the e-mail has arrived, those who where patients enough to wait for me, This is for you!!**

**Angewomon: you know your going a little over the top there**

**Lady.D: Oh shut up, let him make a fool of himself**

**Zandermon: by the way, if I'm reading a story and i find it hard to picture the digimon described to me, i use Digimon wiki.**

**Zandermon: also, if anyone has some spare time you should check out the `Dimensions wiki` soon to the best source for information on `Dimensions` by Blazing chaos. And if you can please help out with updating it.**

**Lady.D: yea, yea whatever, it's chapter time!!!**

**

* * *

****Tamers: Guardian of The hazard [chapter 06: Enter the dark area]**

**Thursday 22nd/01/06**

**Matsuki bakery: 10.00Am**

The Japanese policeman flipped through the drawings on one of Takato Matsuki`s many sketchpads. The boy seemed to have an obsession with the popular `digimon` television show. His children watched it, and played the cards. His view was that the whole thing was a load of crap.

His oldest son was seventeen, and he loved it, officer konaka had frequently tried to wean him onto programming more his age [but his wife had decided that his idea of good programming for a teenager was unsuitable for a man or woman of any age]

As he searched through the belongings of the missing child, he couldn't help wondering whether this... Takato`s, obsession with the program could have had anything to do with his disappearance.

"Mrs Matsuki" he said in his most confident professional voice "Were you aware of your son`s Anime fixation?" the woman at the door responded with only a nod before returning to her sobbing. Konaka had expected little else "What is your opinion on this particular program, Digimon..." he said the word scornfully.

Mie Matsuki looked at the man with bleary eyes, he had the appearance of a young Japanese version of Winston Churchill "I, i...i thi, think that, the program was a bit silly... n, not the sort of thing I'd watch... but then, he, he wouldn't watch some of the programs i like so..."

"So you never chastised him for watching it to often or the like? Did you say anything about it that would cause him to run away...?"

"I told you, he wouldn't run from home, not Takato, he`d never run"

* * *

At that moment though, Takato was feeling very much like running. Bokomon had not lied about the colour of the temple, but he had failed to mention the size, or appearance.

Picture a combination of every haunted house to know, then add in Dracula`s castle, the famous prison Alcatraz, an Egyptian pyramid, and one of those really big maze's, and you wouldn't be far off from a perfect Description.

The whole thing looked a mess, as if it hadn't been planned, just thrown together. Where it wasn't black it was red, and Takato tried not to think of the way the red looked as if it had been poured from windows out of buckets _"human... no, digimon sacrifice... damn i wasn't supposed to think about that"_

I it only just fit on top of the mountain, it was like balancing a brick on a needle, despite the fact that this was the largest of all the ten-thousand mountains in the range. Even rika looked queasy at the sight of it.

Wizardmon looked just about ready to wet his pants, homicidal dark mega`s he could handle, but evil temple`s.... that was his limit "Yes, well, i must be off, thing to do places to be and all that" he opened one of his jump gates and left before they could even say goodbye.

Renamon took the first step up the mountain, despite her instincts telling her to `get out!" but that was most likely because of the high concentration of virus types that lived in the dark world the headed towards. Gatomon followed behind her with her tamer by her side. Not one to be left in the dust, rika put on a burst of speed and was soon leading the group.

* * *

**Dark area: Hellmouth**

As the door to his court opened, the master woke from his sleep. He called it sleep for lack of better words, it gave him no rest, not that he needed it, it simply gave him a clear mind, so as to better think his plans through.

"Yes loyal one" he said without a trace of emotion in his young voice "What do you have for me?" Bokomon let the mask fade away returning to his bakemon form "I succeeded my lord, the child of the hazard is even now making his way to the temple, he will be here shortly... if he survives"

The master closed his eyes and ran the information through his mind. When he opened them he said "Make it easy for him... it in vital that he stays alive"

Bakemon bowed [or did the best a floating bed sheet with no knees could do anyway] and left the room. Just as the door closed it was wrenched open again by Phantomon. Forgetting all protocol and manners he went strait into his report, the master raised an eyebrow, it must be important for such an un-ceremonial entrance, the second would have killed the phantomon for that alone.

"Master! The light of digivolution has vanished from its resting place! The catalyst is Gone!"

He stiffened, the light of digivolution was what gave digimon the power to evolve, had someone taken it to stop him and his follower`s advancing? "Where! Where has it gone you...!" he stopped, that had been the first time in many years that he lost his temper, he took a breath and returned to the calm "Where is it phantomon?"

Phantomon gulped [although it was not visible due to the hood] "The... there where traces of a digital gate... we believe it has gone to the human world, th...the sovereign is preparing his Deva`s to search for the catalyst, should i send someone to find it first?"

The knot`s in his stomach unravelled as peace flowed back into him "That is unnecessary, if the Sovereign`s servants find the catalyst and bring it back we will all have the ability for digivolution... the one`s who are strong enough anyway" if Zuquiomon was looking for the light then he still did not know of him. He smiled, the sovereign was a fool, he did not even believe in the existence of the dark area, so long... and still so oblivious.

* * *

With small black eyes she watched her sovereign, the huge fiery phoenix who ruled them. She resembled a hare or a rabbit, she was exceptionally tall, her fur was a chocolaty brown except for some marking`s on her large hands and a single patch on her face where three small horns protruded. Her long ear`s were tipped with pink and a purple scarf was looped round her neck.

Her name was Antylamon, the fourth Deva, and so far the only one who disagreed with her master on the nature of humans. Her thought`s were kept secret of course, they all new how he felt about traitors, he could rant for hours about the `disgusting digimon who allow themselves to be tamed`

Zuquiomon used his own data to create each of them, he was in effect, her father, one to be respected and loved, which she did do, but she could not agree that humans deserved to die. Thankfully that was not the mission, they were to be sent to the human world to find the catalyst, nothing more, but the sovereign had said he would not object to human losses, he had practically encouraged it! Her stomach tightened her nature was to be protecting of those weaker than her... and that included humans.

So she would go if that was her father and sovereigns wish, but no humans would die on her watch. She frowned, he had never told them what had given him that prejudice, as far as she new humans where the ones who created the digimon, yes they reacted badly to digimon in the real world but would not any being defend its home from things it did not understand.

Giving her head a shake she returned to listening to Zuquiomon briefing, some of them were being partnered to others, the rest were going solo. She was to be partnered to her younger brother [despite his older appearance] Majiramon, he looked exited at the prospect of killing humans... he made her sick.

* * *

A few hour`s after beginning the climb, Takato and rika were in complete contrast. Rika strode like a confident mountain climber, Takato crawled on the ground gasping for breath and holding his sides. He had on occasion grabbed energy spurts from nowhere and managed to run faster that rika could hope to, until he tripped, or simply ground to a halt, then a crawl, and she would again take the lead.

Rika was secretly as tired as the boy who now crawled on the ground beside her, she was simply better at hiding it. After a few more painful feet they arrived at the mountain top.

She suddenly realised that Renamon was already there, so was Gatomon. The two digimon had fallen behind only twenty feet along the climb. She checked behind her _"damn that fox"_ she thought as she realised the obvious.

Renamon gave her partner the best smile her fox-like face could manage, she had fazed herself and the cat to the top, and they had both enjoyed watching the two humans struggle with nature. Rika ground her teeth "Renamon, if you weren't my partner, i would beat you to death.

Takato [having gained enough breath to speak, and the pain in his sides mostly gone] suddenly understood what the redhead was saying. He stood up and glared at his partner "I however have no problem with beating you to a pulp.

And so, having learned from the best cat beater in Japan, Takato pummelled the cat until her head spun. Rika was surprised "I didn't know you had it in you gogglehead" Gatomon gave her a sour look "This is your fault, your a bad influence"

When Takato`s knuckles finely hurt to much to give any more beating to the unfortunate kitten, the group turned there attention to the temple that occupied so much of the mountain.

The temple seemed even more disgusting closer up, the door seemed to be made of random bones held together by fleshy cord and a putrid black substance that rika tried not to think about as she moved some aside in her search for the doorknob "You know gogglehead, by all rights you should be the one sticking your hands in the rotting black slop, it`s you partner we`re looking for"

"Well i would have done but you got there first... and you're doing such a good job"

She growled as she grasped the handle and pulled, half the door collapsed and she only just missed being covered in the rotten, bony slop

Takato half expected a swarm of bats to emerge from the gap like the opening scene of the original Scooby doo, when no cartoon bats made there appearance the four of the made there way into the temple, gagging at the smell.

Rika shook the black goo from her hand before looking around. If she didn't know that it was impossible, she would have said that the temple was bigger on the inside. The seemed to be in what could best be described as `the reception room to hell`

It looked in some ways like a hundred year old Christian church would if it had been built for Satan... minus the stained glass windows. Each of the cracked marble slabs on the floor looked as if the had originally been made for a cemetery.

The sound of wind reached renamons ears, growing stronger, Gatomon heard it next, then the humans... then....

"_No! No!! Please! DONT DO IT!!!!! ... AAAAGGGHH!!!!!!!"_

Takato`s eyes darted around for the source of the screams, then, out of a side corridor that he had not previously noticed, a girl appeared, she was human and extremely beautiful, she was blond haired with light green eyes.

Her cloth`s were torn and blood stained, and her hair unwashed. She screamed again as a large man walked calmly towards her. His skin was grey and the original colour of his robes was lost under the blood encrusted on then.

In his hand was a gruesome sacrificial knife, long, curved, bent, chipped, rusty, and black with the blood of previous victims. Here and there chunks of flesh were missing from is body, as if sacrificed to some unknown demon, and the bone was visible in its absence.

Rika`s eyes opened wide as the man raised the knife, the girl seemed unable to move. Rika tried to run forward and stop the man, but something unseen held her back. Takato had the same problem, he wrenched at the invisible restraints with all his strength.

Gatomon felt sick at the sight, she was paralysed, no, she couldn't be, what if he went for Takato after he finished with the girl. She managed to move her head to look at her tamer... and screamed. Another man, identical to the first, held Takato in a death grip, a knife pressed to the boy`s throat.

She closed her eyes and tried not to listen to his dying screams, tried to ignore the hot liquid that covered her as his blood sprayed from his veins.

Rika turned her head from the dead boy`s body as it slumped to the ground, the only other thing she could see was the first man, carving out the girls hart while she still lived... and screamed.

To Renamons eyes, all this was like a ghost image, semi-transparent, she saw the girl with her hart in the man`s grasp, and she saw nothing, she saw Takato dead on the floor, and she saw a living Takato screaming at the man to leave the girl alone.

She saw the man who had killed Takato turn his sights on rika, who was trying [and failing] to stop crying, the redhead's eyes darted to Takato, and to the girl, and back again.

Renamon thought understood; in her mind she pictured her fear, rika, dead. When she opened them, there she was. Mutilated, and violated, with the sneering demonic priest standing over her, but at the same time rika lived, and the man... did not exist!

"Takato, Rika, Gatomon! Close your eyes! Don't think about it! Don't think about the things you see!"

Being unaffected by the gruesome illusion she was able to move, she shook her tamer by the shoulders, she yelled at the girl to stop thinking of the things she saw, but no matter how hard she tried, rika did not seem to hear.

Her mind raced, she could think of only one thing she had not tried _"I really hope she forgives me for this" _Rika shut her eyes and screamed as the knife plunged into the space between her ribs, twisted, and.... SMACK!

Rika reeled from the stinging pain in her cheek, her eyes darted around and saw the remaining two screaming at something she no longer saw, then, it dawned! "Damn it! Renamon, you slapped me!" Renamon nodded bashfully and glanced at the other two "Which one do you want to hit?"

She blinked, and then she understood "Oh... thanks Renamon" A second later when she had positioned herself in front of the gogglehead, she pulled her arm back, and.... CRACK!

Takato yelped and rubbed his nose, he poked it gently to see if it was broken... it wasn't "What the hell are you doing?" She pointed to Gatomon who was still under the illusion. Takato watched as the cat screamed again, her scream cut of as Renamon smacked her face.

The sound of wind gradually died away. Takato looked to the side corridor where the illusion girl had been "Whatever caused that stuff came from that direction, i think we should start there"

Rika silently agreed and walked off without a word. The image had scared her, and she did not want to admit it. Renamon followed after her partner followed by Takato. Gatomon was close by him scanning his form for signs if injury, the illusion had been far too real for her.

* * *

It seemed that the inner temple was lit by a mirror reflection system; the light was bounced around the entire place keeping it lit during the day. But as night fell in the digital world the only source of light was a strange moss plastered to the roof of most rooms and tunnels.

The moss gave of a dull greyish-green light. It seemed to absorb any heat to because anywhere they went was as cold as ice. Hours had passed since the illusion and they where beginning to think that the danger had passed, but as it is in all the great horror films, that is when evil strikes, just when you think it's safe.

The next room they entered seemed like a cross between rika`s third favourite movie `the labyrinth` and that staircase in harry potter. Not only did the stairs move from side to side, but they also turned over completely until they were upside-down.

The room was the size of the Wimbledon field and carpets lined the walls and ceiling. The roof itself was as far away as it would be if they where in a cathedral. It was hard to tell if they were really standing on the ground, or the roof, or the walls.

As the base of one staircase touched the ground, and looked as if it intended to stay there for a while, Takato headed towards it with his guts in a knot, something told him that this was a good direction to go.

Rika snorted "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't we supposed to be looking for a hole? And a long drop under it? Along drop through the ground, which parts don't you understand|? We should be going down, not up!"

Once rika had regained her voice after the illusion incident she had not stopped criticizing Takato in any way possible, from his stupidity in coming here unprepared meaning she had had to come along so he didn't get hurt, or the simple `we should go this way not that way stuff``

Anyone but Takato would have gotten annoyed and yelled at her by now, but the gogglehead seemed to have undying patience with her "I just have a good feeling about this way is all"

"That's what you said the last five times you went the wrong way!" she yelled at him, they all winced when a sprinkle of dust fell from the far of ceiling.

Takato stopped on the fifth step and looked back at her "There hasn't been anything to show we`re goin the wrong way, anyway could be wrong but this way just seems right" Rika sighed and gave in for the hundredth time in the last few hours _"damn this is getting annoying"_

As they reached the halfway point on the first staircase, the whole thing rose into the air. It was no longer connected to anything, Takato suddenly felt rather airsick. A moment later it came to a halt both ends now firmly connected to something. They where halfway to what seemed to be the top floor now, and they could see that the walls where pockmarked with doors of all shapes and sizes.

The group ran to the top of there staircase, eager to be off it before it moved again. They now stood before a giant oak door which Takato placed a hand on thoughtfully "Hmm... no, i don't think it's this one"

Rika rolled her eyes and pushed him aside "Alright gogglehead it`s my turn to chose a door and i pick... this one" and without further ado she pushed opened the door and stepped inside leaving no room for arguments.

The room they where now in was even bigger than the hall of staircase`s, it was Egyptian style and would not have looked out of place in a movie like `the scorpion king` at the far side of the room there were three doors, one in each corner and one in the middle.

Rika headed for the one on the far right, Takato had a bad feeling about this, but new that the redheaded `digimon queen` would never listen.

* * *

He woke with a start as he sensed the coming of humans "Humans...?" he said with an old, powerful voice "Humans are coming... they must set me free"

He pulled at the chains as he had done on many occasions over the past millennia, they had gradually weakened, up until now his pulls had been half hearted as he new the chains where the first of three things to stop him, and the second had to be unlocked from the other side.

But now he was desperate, he would be free

* * *

The door was made of polished onyx with decorative gold inlay. In the place of a handle there was a palm sized spherical emerald that glowed ever so slightly. The door frame was carved from a blood red ruby and bore many archaic symbols.

On impulse rika reached out her hand ant placed it on the emerald. The glow brightened and enveloped the door; the gold changed to diamond and absorbed the light. Gradually the onyx faded away, the diamond glowed brighter then splintered. The fragments fell to the ground now an emerald green.

Takato gaped at the now empty doorframe "I guess that's kinda cool, but you`d have to replace it every day" Rika was getting sick of rolling her eyes by now so she opted to ignore the annoying gogglehead and take a look around the room behind the empty doorframe.

It was the classic Hollywood horror movie temple, complete with deadly looking white spiders and big ass scorpions. At the far back was a huge structure that appeared to be an alter, rika`s belief in this was confirmed when they saw the terrifying statue of the goddess of death `kali`

"There" rika said with a satisfied smile "Is it me, or does that look suspiciously like an altar...?" Now Takato rolled his eyes at her use of sarcasm "Ok, maybe i was wrong but there was an equal chance for anyone to make a wrong choice, i just followed my gut"

Her lip curled "Yeah... well, no offence but i don't want your stomach telling me where to go"

For the past hour Gatomon had been perfectly silent, this was because she was half asleep, she had simply been following the sound of rika`s grumbling. Now though as she tripped over one of the many broken tiles on the floor she let out a yell which startled them all [except for Renamon who never seemed to be surprised]

As she landed Gatomon came face to face with a rather annoyed looking scorpion, she yelped.

"**Lightning claw!"**

She climbed onto Takato`s back and clung for dear life as the three severed pieces of the scorpion fell to the ground. Soon enough other scorpions and even some of the spiders gathered around the corpse and began fighting for the meat.

Rika walked through the swarm of arachnids without a care for the many poisonous tails raised in threat as she passed. Takato followed behind rather more cautiously picking his way between the evil looking creatures.

Renamon didn't even bother trying; she simply phased herself over to the altar and stood atop it waiting for her tamer and the pale faced boy.

The altar seemed to be carved from a single piece of... whatever it was carved from. The material was a dark grey with a silvery sheen; it looked smooth but was rough to the touch. The kali statue was the same, the exception being the ruby eyes. It was disgusting, but beautiful at the same time.

Takato reached out and poked the statues eye; with a clunk the ruby fell back into a hollow space inside "Oops..." he said as his face flushed "I broke it..." Rika raised an eyebrow at him "So, maybe that`s how we`re supposed to get in" and she poked out the other eye.

With a thunderous grating the lid of the supposed alter slid aside and fell to the ground, the statue mounted on it shattered and the rubies rolled off into the darkness. They looked inside expecting to see a cavernous hole, but instead there eyes met a humanoid form completely wrapped in strong black chains.

The shocking thing about it was that it was moving! It writhed and shook as whatever was inside tried so desperately to break free. With the lid moved aside the two digimon could sense the power that the being had.

Both Gatomon and Renamon visibly cringed. The kitsune backed away and Gatomon buried her face in Takato`s shirt. Both tamers spotted there behaviour, rika raised an eyebrow "What's up?" Renamons expression smoothed and she indicated the door "We should leave, now, that digimon is extremely powerful, i don't think we could beat him.

Hearing what they were saying and knowing that they would again seal him here the creature screamed "No!!! I will not stay here!!!!"

That clinched it all of turned tail and bolted from the room. Renamon stopped at the door and observed the frame closely, she placed a gloved paw on one of the symbols engraved into the ruby and stood back as the door regenerated itself.

With the panic seemingly over the two tamers and digimon returned to the staircase and closed the oak door behind them.

Takato gave rika a nervous smile "So... i guess we`re following my gut huh?

* * *

The digimon ripped through the chains with a final roar.

It stood up slowly and cricked it`s neck, now for the main door. As it stepped down onto the floor the room`s population of deadly arachnids scuttled for cover in the shadowed corned of the room.

* * *

Rika was beginning to think that she should insist on choosing the rout again. Yes, Takato`s choices so far hadn't led them to any powerful and dangerous mega`s... but that had been a fluke... it must have been. She yawned as the boy led them into yet another seemingly endless corridor, lit with that same boring coloured moss, and the same lack of... anything.

Renamon didn't feel tired at all; as usual she was full alert... that was how she heard the return of the wind, she prepared herself for anything... but she wasn't prepared enough.

"_Rika...?"_

They all froze as the man`s voice emerged from the darkness. Rika ground her teeth, the voice seemed... familiar, somehow... her eyes widened "No....."

"_Yes... it`s me rika_, come with me... it`s time to go home..."

The figure stepped out of the darkness, a smile on his young face. He was tall, but not to tall for his age. He seemed around twenty, his eyes were brown... but his hair was red. Rika`s mouth went dry, and all caution for illusions was thrown to the wind "... Dad....?"

Takato`s jaw dropped, her dad! "No way..." he said out loud, what should he do? Should he let the illusion continue? He didn't know what effect that would have. Rika had never said anything about her father, he had gotten the impression that she lived with her mother and grandmother...

"_Rika.... come home with me... i planted a cherry tree... and it`s blossoming..."_

Her stomach clenched, how did this damn illusion know about this... was it inside her head? Was it reading her memories? "No... I won't"

The image looked hurt _"Rika... I`m your father...."_

Rika shook her head and stepped back "No! My father left when i was three! He left without saying goodbye and nobody ever told me why! YOU'RE JUST SOME FREAKED OU ILLUSION!!!!!!!"

The image was closed to tears _"Rika... i love you"_

The girl raced forward and punched the man in the face; surprisingly it actually seemed to be hurt physically "HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT TO ME!!" she spat out, she was visibly shaking with anger.

No one new what to do, the last time everyone had been frozen and forced to watch a bloody show. This time though it was personal, nobody seemed to be paralysed, and rika had actually touched the image... this was new.

Now the image looked angry, sweet talk over it pulled a knife and slashed at rika leaving a thin cut on her cheek _"you will come with me! Your mother won last time but here and now you are mine!!_

Rika raised a shaking hand to the cut on her cheek; she brought it away with blood on her fingers. Renamon readied herself to fight, but Takato beat her to it. "Rika! Get away from it! They can hurt us now" and he lunged at it. They wrestled for the knife with equal desperation and energy.

All except Renamon gasped and looked away as Takato finely grasped the knife and slit the throat of its owner. It lay there bleeding for a few moments... then faded away. Takato looked at his hand, the knife was gone too.

Rika swallowed a lump in her throat, a glance at Takato told her she needed to swallow her pride too "Takato..." he turned to face her with a nervous expression "Yea...?" She licked her lips and looked him in the eyes "Thanks" and with that she shoved passed him and continued down the corridor.

Takato stared after her with a surprised look, and then he smiled "Your welcome"

* * *

Gatomon gazed with wide eyes at the amazing buffet spread out on the table. They were all in Takato`s house celebrating guilmons rescue. When Takato`s mom gave the signal they all began eating... except for her. When she picked up the jumbo sausage on her plate... it spoke "Gatomon, wake up!"

She stared at the meat in shock and poked it warily; suddenly it leapt out of her hand and bopped her on the head.

"WAKE UP!"

She jerked awake with a cry of "Demon sausages!!" the others looked at her as if she was crazy and she blushed under her fur. She was face down on the ground and she realized that she had fallen asleep... literally `fallen` asleep.

Takato picked her up and smiled kindly "Wasn't it just a few hours ago you were telling me about the infamous Gatomon stamina?" She felt the heat in her cheeks again and turned her face away in case the blush showed through her fur "Sorry..."

Takato had led them steadily upwards in his search the altar. Since the second illusion incident no one had bothered to question his sense of direction, but Rika still thought that they would be better off heading down.

But then her choices of direction had so far caused only trouble, she remembered the digimon in chains and wondered exactly what type of digimon he was. The fact that he was mega was obvious but what digimon? And why had he been in the tomb alive! Perhaps he had been an evil digimon... or maybe he`d had more than his fair share of bad luck.

* * *

He was grateful to the humans for setting him free... but nevertheless he was hungry... and the data of those digimon would do... even if they were friends with his rescuers. He had dogged there trail for hours... ever since obliterating that terrible door.

Now he was close, he could just hear them in the distance, waking a sleeping friend, he would feast on there data and return to his home... if it was still there after all this time... where was it anyway?

"Godramon! A few thousand years in a box and my memory goes to hell... humph, just my luck"

* * *

With her sharp ears Renamon picked up the sound of the mega cursing his luck _"Oh dear" _"I believe it would be best if we run, the mega from the tomb is coming"

All eyes widened, then four sets of legs burst into life to carry there owners far away.

* * *

He growled, they were running... that wouldn't do.

With further growling the mega level digimon gave chase to those who would soon feed him

* * *

The sound of the unknown mega`s footfalls perused them through the corridors and passages of the dark temple. All the halls so far had been unbelievably dusty but now as they climbed still further upwards there seemed to be more dust than before.

Takato led them up a narrow staircase. So narrow in fact, that they had to walk sideways. They reached the top and Gatomon's stomach did a back-flip "Well done mister `follow my gut` you've led us to a dead end!"

The room, like all the others, was huge. The dust rose to Gatomon`s waist. Takato seemed to be drawn further into the room; he gazed at the floor as he searched for something unknown. He stopped suddenly, looking excited "Seriously, my gut must be a genius" he started sweeping the dust aside casting nervous glances at the stairs for there pursuer.

They watched as he grasped a steel ring in the planked floor and tugged. Dust fell aside as the door opened; beyond it was blackness, nothing to show how deep the hole was. Now even Takato looked unsure of himself, he wondered if he should have listened to rika from the start.

All attention was diverted from the trap door as the strange digimon squeezed into the room, his golden armour scraping against the wall.

He was tall, about six foot ten with the physique of an athlete. His gold armour was Egyptian style, like the room they had discovered him in. His face was covered by a decorative mask, the painted sort seen on hieroglyphs' of ancient pharaoh`s.

The digimon took a step towards the group, and Takato`s mind was set "Rika, Renamon, get in, Quick!" Rika looked as if she were about to protest, but her partner took her hand and jumped. The gogglehead grabbed his partner just as the pharaoh lunged for them. He dodged and the digimon missed him by a hair.

Without another glance Takato matsuki made his very first real leap of faith... literally.

The digimon watched him fall until the darkness consumed his form _"knowing this _place" he thought_ "they could be anywhere.... damn it, I'm not jumping down there, I'll just get data from somewhere else"_

Well at least they had set him free from his prison.... why had he been in there anyway? He remembered it had something to do with one of the demon lord`s... Barbamon, yes, that was it... he`d been rather angry with him... something to do with the demon lord`s girlfriend, a rather cute Ladydevimon... oh yes, he chuckled, now he remembered.

Still laughing and reminiscing about the cute ultimate, Pharaomon turned around and began the long walk to the exit.

* * *

They seemed to be falling slowly as if in low gravity and so it took a very long time. So long i fact that Gatomon had time for a catnap in Takato`s arms. Takato soon followed her to the land of nod and rika was sure she had dozed off more than once.

But eventually they saw a light at the end of the tunnel [or bottom of the hole, depending on your point of view] it flickered and wavered as if cast by candles. They landed on the cobble stone floor like autumn leaves from a tree... it sorta creeped Takato out.

There were no doors or windows, the only way in or out seemed to be the hole in the roof. Compared to other rooms this one seemed very small, it was about the size of a very expensive flat.

But the best... or was it the worst feature of the room was the unmistakable structure of an alter which was in itself, rather plain... but the statue behind it large and foreboding, detailed and disgusting, struck fear into the harts of the two digimon.

Even renamons mouth went dry as she spoke the name of the digimon "....GranDracmon... founder of the demon lords and corruptor of core`s....."

The statue had the appearance of a centaur, a huge beastlike body with the torso of a man in the place of a head. Terrifying claws decorated its feet and the general bulk of it was imposing. The humanlike half was well built and had blond hair. Its eyes were not visible due to the pointed mask covering the top half of its face.

It wore black gloves on its hands with the tips of claws protruding from the stone. Last but not least were the two masked reptilian heads on thick neck`s attached to the shoulders of his beast half, they had terrible fangs to give any a cold shiver. Takato winced when he looked at the creatures face _"Damn... that really is horrible" _he took a cautious step towards it.

He leapt back in surprise when the statue took on a grey fleshy appearance. With his retreat it returned to stone, as if it had always been that way. No one else seemed to notice. Rika, glad that they were nearing the end of this pointless journey, waltzed right up to the altar and began to tug at the lid.

Again taking the fleshy appearance, the statue reached forward and grabbed her hand. She prised her hand from his grip and stepped back with a grunt, running the bruise left by the strong grip. This time it did not return to stone form, it`s whole bulk began to move, it was now made up entirely of the grey rotten flesh.

The living meat climbed over the altar with an expressionless face "Dieeeee....." it grated with a voice like nails rusty nails.

Takato immediately took charge, [much to rika`s disgust] "You and Renamon open that thing while me and Gatomon keep this slime ball occupied" the rotten golem growled and the boy shivered "I meant slime ball in a good way... damn it" The golem lunged forward, snakeheads snapping.

Gatomon slashed at it with her lightning claw and three good-sized gashes appeared across its stomach. It didn't even seem to notice the attack! Rika strained with the heavy stone slab with beads of sweat on her forehead, Renamon pushed with all the strength she could muster but still it refused to move.

Gatomon had tried slashing repeatedly at the golems hind legs with her claws but had succeeded only in covering her limbs with the disgusting liquid flesh. The creature turned around on a lighting quick reflex and slammed its fist into her face.

Rika saw the battle going badly, and Takato searching through then few cards he had on him with a frightened and frustrated look on his face... she took out her own cards and picked two she thought might help "Gogglehead! Catch!"

He caught the two cards and gave them a once over... then grinned "Thanks rika" the girl just humphed and went back to struggling with the lid. Takato turned back to his damaged partner "You ready Gatomon?"

"Ready as I'm gonna get, slash the cards already!"

"**Digimodify... Power activate! Hyper wing activate!"**

Gatomon felt the energy course through her and the shining wings sprout from her shoulders. She took to the air just in time to miss the snakehead that would have ripped out her throat. She clawed at it`s arm, the limb fell to the floor but the golem was otherwise unaffected.

A stroke of inspiration hit the cat full force. So far the golem had never turned its back on her, always facing her and attacking ferociously _"Hmm... well, it's worth a shot"_

She made it seem that she was heading for the chest, then, at the last moment, she circled around and attacked it from behind. She clawed out what would have been its spine and darted back to avoid the hissing reptilian heads.

The golem grunted again and stopped in its tracks.

Without the spine it`s flesh melted and pooled on the floor. Gatomon shook the gunk from her paws as the shining wings disappeared "That went well... hey, who ya gonna call?" she indicated the remainder of the fleshy phantom.

Takato chuckled at her reference "Ghostbusters... well, here goes nothing" he took a firm grip on the altar lid, and pushed... nothing. He pushed again... still nothing. Rika, Renamon, and Gatomon spent a pleasurable few moments watching him strain himself, finding it rather amusing

Once the amusement wore off the three of them joined him in the task. It slid aside with a ruff scraping noise. Again, just like the last hole, there was only blackness. Takato gulped "Ok, who wants to go first?" Gatomon stepped back hurriedly "Whoa! Nobody look at me, i don't really have nine lives! It`s just a myth"

Rika sighed "I`ll do it" before Takato could object climbed onto the rim and jumped... no sounds came from the pit, no scream or splat... no `I'm ok`... nothing. Renamon slipped gracefully into the darkness after her tamer leaving Takato and Gatomon alone. Without even bothering to warn her, Takato took hold of Gatomon and jumped in, ignoring her profane shouts of protest.

Unlike the first time gravity was doing it`s job... and then some. Takato with Gatomon in his arms plummeted like a stone dropped from a tall building.

* * *

**Friday 23rd****: Wong apartment: 8.00Am**

"Damn..." Kazu sighed and leant back against the wall of Henry`s room "It seems like everyone's becoming a tamer except me!" terriermon chuckled "Aren't you exaggerating a little"

He was exaggerating, the small group were now familiar with two tamers and the supposed third Takato had mentioned could have been anyone... but Kazu still felt resentful, he was after all a much better card player than Takato, and this Henry was just a computer nerd... why had he been left in the dust!

Jeri gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder but Kenta seemed to be too engrossed in Henry`s many computers and gizmos to even notice his friends discomfort. The owner of the room was busy preparing for school in the apartments bathroom. Losing track of the time while surfing the internet the previous night, had resulted in him overlaying.

Jeri had dragged them over to the half Chinese boys apartment so they could all walk to school together, she insisted that he was now a member of the group and should be treated as such... but even she had not expected the teal and cream dog-bunny. Henry hurried into the room, fully clothed but still towel drying his blue hair "Alright, I'm ready"

"About time" terriermon stated with his paws on hips "Why`d you stay on the computer so long!?"

"Henry...?" a voice said from behind the boy "You said terriermon was a toy...? You lied to me...." Henry froze, and he stuttered "I...um, uh... damn... Suzy"

* * *

**Dark area**

They had continued falling for a long time, the wind had whipped past them like a thunderous hurricane, until they had seen a smudge of grey far bellow them growing larger, and large, and... Smack. They had collided with the soot and ash at high speed, the grey powder had softened there impact, but it still hurt like hell.

Now the four of them crouched at the end of a craggy tunnel trying to see round the corner.

Renamon was worried, they had practically been herded to this point by DarkTyranamon, a large black and red tyrannosaurus, the vixen expected a trap... but at the moment there was nothing she could do about it. Takato gave them a wave to show it was all clear and stepped around the corner. Renamon opened her mouth to stop him, but it was too late.

I the high roofed cavern beyond, two DarkTyranamon glared at them with cold but satisfied eyes. From behind the a third DarkTyranamon growled, forcing them forward.

Rika rubbed her head _"This really isn't my day"_

* * *

**Shinjuku School: 10:45Am**

Jeri stared out of the window from her school desk. She paid no attention to the bored voice of Ms Asaji as she recited useless information about some water tunnel under the park. Her thoughts were on Takato, she liked the goggle-wearing boy... she liked him a lot. So far he hadn't shown much interest in her apart from being one of his best friends... but she still hoped.

Bu where was he? What if he`d been kidnapped...? but his two digimon were gone to, who would have known about them... or been able to catch them... digimon were to strong for a normal everyday kidnapper... so was Takato for that matter.

What if it had been some government people? Images of Takato and his digimon in tanks with wires in them flashed through her mind.

A tear rolled down her cheek _"where is he?"_

* * *

**Dark area:**

"**Dragon wheel!"**

The first DarkTyranamon fell back with a grunt and the second winced at Gatomon's lightning claw. The two humans kept close to the wall as they ran towards an opening on the opposite side of the cave. The digimon fought just hard enough to keep the DarkTyranamon from noticing the humans escape.

The air seemed to grow hotter as they neared the opening and beads of sweat rolled down there faces. The digimon circled round to put themselves between the humans and the hellish dinosaurs. Takato looked back at the digimon with worry "Come on Gatomon! You too Kyuubimon!"

The two digimon backed up slowly towards there tamers, glaring a warning to the dark area digimon. The DarkTyranamon new they were outmatched in power but didn't really care, they lunged forward giving roars worthy of Jurassic park.

"Come on!!" Kyuubimon yelled, allowing them all onto her back before taking off into the sweltering room. All three DarkTyranamon burst through the wall throwing shattered rock everywhere. But this was hardly noticed by the tamers, for they now new what caused the heat. Takato grinned nervously "Well... bokomon did promise rivers of fire.

In front of them was an enormous canyon, and at the bottom there was indeed a river of fire, huge roaring flames coursing at a hundred miles an hour with liquid rock. And clichéd as it was, a long rotten rope-bridge was the only crossing.

"_Perilous bridge or death by dinosaur" _Takato thought_ "What wonderful choices"_

**

* * *

****Matsuki bakery: 11.00Am**

Mai matsuki winced as the news article blared out on the radio. She momentarily stopped kneading the doe to listen...

_**A young boy has disappeared in the Shinjuku ward, fourteen year old Takato matsuki worked at his family bakery with his mother and father, no evidence has yet been gathered to suggest foul play. In other new the supermarket chain...**_

She flicked of the power with a disgusted noise _"no foul play indeed"_

* * *

**Nonaka household: 11.00Am**

As with the rest of the house all furniture and equipment was chosen because of its traditional appearance. Things like televisions and radio`s were inconspicuous and set into alcoves in the wall. Rumiko Nonaka and her mother Seiko had watched the news every day since rika had gone out and not returned.

The reporter on television was describing a robbery the previous day. Rumiko was willing the man to finish quickly; she wanted to see the next article in particular.

_**.... and now our main story, rika Nonaka, daughter of the famous model, Rumiko Nonaka, has vanished from her home, family state that she left her home for school at the normal time Monday morning, but failed to arrive at her place of education. Reports have been given by the public stating that the girl was seen around east Shinjuku and a popular department store on the same day, no more sighting are known after that day. Some speculate that her disappearance may be linked to that of `Takato matsuki` -whose parents own the well known` Matsuki bakery` -on the same day. Nothing else is known at this point but...**_

Seiko looked at her daughter with a concerned expression "Dear, i promise you, things will be alright... she`ll turn up safe and sound" the blond woman did not seem to hear her, she looked as if she were puzzling something out in her mind.

Rumiko grinned as her romantic mind pulled a magical solution from the darkness, Seiko braced herself for something remarkably silly "Mom, i got it! She`s run of with that bakery boy... Takato! Ohhh... thats so cute! Just like this book!" She held up the book she had been reading. Seiko couldn't see the title [rumiko`s fingers were covering it] but the author`s name was printed in large gold letters for all to see `Jane Austin`

Seiko rolled her eyes "I swear you read those novels far too often `_but if it keeps her happy while rika`s gone then i suppose i should go with it"_

* * *

**Shinjuku School: 11.05Am**

Lunch was being held early today, Ms Asaji had explained that the rest of the day would be used for a exam and they would need the extra time. Jeri sat outside to eat her lunch of ham sandwiches, cream puffs, and orange juice.

The girl was still distressed, but she no longer allowed herself to think about it... besides, cream puffs always cheered her up.

She stretched out a hand for the creamy pastries, and froze; her favourite treats were rapidly vanishing into the mouth of a small creature with large ears who closely resembled the food he was eating. With a loud gulp and a happy yell the living cream puff finished the first and began his assault on the second.

She smiled and picked up a ham sandwich instead _"This thing is almost as cute as Takato...."_

* * *

**Hypnos: [Tokyo metropolitan government building] 12.00Am**

Mitsuo Yamaki, known to inferiors as `sir` and superiors [few as they were] as simply Yamaki, sat at his decent but mostly modest desk, a high tech laptop set firmly on the empty space before him [the only spot not covered with paperwork, there`s way too much of the stuff]

Lines of code danced across the screen in forms and types that only he could understand, his program would be marvellous, like reinventing the atom bomb with zero`s and one`s.

A knock at his door interrupted him and he quickly saved and closed down the illegal file "Yes!" He barked with an annoyed ton "What is it?"

One of the many witless technicians opened the door and stepped inside. Most of his underlings found his manner very intimidating, doubles the unfortunate man had lost the toss of the coin that usually decided yamaki`s next `victim`

"Sir... we intercepted a civilian call to local authorities claiming that aliens were in Shinjuku Park" Yamaki stared at him in disgust "And you brought this to me! Do you know how much my time is worth! Far too much for you to waste it that`s what!"

"B... but sir! When we sent an agent to the scene he reported that the supposed "Energy being" the civilian claimed to have seen was actually a digital gate!" Yamaki jumped up and grabbed the man by the coat "WHERE!?"

The technician stuttered "Sh, sha, shin, ju... Shinjuku pa, park... behind the m,m,m, main water f, fountain...." Yamaki dropped the man and went directly to Hypnos main control room. This had to be dealt with immediately.

* * *

**Hypnos control: 12.09Am**

"Riley! Tally! I want a status report on that gate yesterday! When and how was it used! How long has it been open! And why the hell didn't we pick up the signal!!"

The two high ranking tech's worked quickly to avoid his wrath, Riley secretly liked her boss but feared his temper as much as everyone else "It cant have been open for much longer that a week sir, the energy patterns don't seem that old... it brought a low level virus type to our world upon activation"

Yamaki turned to the others in the room "Then that's our first priority! Find that digimon now!"

"Sir there's more!" Talley called down from her seat "Someone, presumably the digimon, has been sending signals through the gate... communications!" Yamaki`s mouth went dry _"what is this some kind off invasion!" _"Get that gate closed! Send guards to ensure that no more transmissions are sent through that gate!"

"One last thing sir..." riley spoke softly, too shocked by the new data to breath properly "Two humans and the same number of digimon recently crossed over to the other side..."

He froze "Two humans... can you estimate an age?" both women shook there heads "Sorry sir, the system cant track stuff like that"

"_Damn it..." _yamaki thought_ "Those two kids could be there... but we can't be sure... it doesn't matter anyway!"_And he said so "Irrelevant! Get that gate closed! Even if it means those people are stuck there we can't run the risk of letting it stay open!"

* * *

**Zandermon: ... poor Takato, i just realised he`s alone with three females that all enjoy watching him suffer.**

**Lady.D: [giggles] it sound's like fun to me**

**Angewomon: ...you sick sadistic cow**

**Zandermon: ok... I'm close to two-digit numbers in reviews...!!! Hooray!!!!! Now like i said I'm only close to two-digits... please make up the difference for me and review...! Make my dream come true**

**Angewomon: ... your getting desperately obsessed aren't you?**

**Zandermon: Yep...! I am. Goodbye, i love you all**

********


	8. Deva

**Zandermon: Hi, after another long delay full of enough excuses to fill a novel, I have returned with the latest chapter!**

**[Thunderous applause and girls screaming]**

**Angewomon: What, no apology this time?**

**Lady.D: Screw the apology`s I want the chapter**

**Zandermon: I got bored with apologising… and if anyone has a problem they can review and yell at me [Hehe]**

**

* * *

Tamers: Guardian of The hazard [chapter 07: Deva]**

**Friday 23rd/01/06 dark area]**

He wished he could say he had become used to the many gruesome sights presented to them since the DarkTyranamon, but the hideous structures and frightening drops still turned his stomach. They had managed to snatch an hour or two`s sleep but it had been difficult and restless expecting some dark digimon to attack at any point.

Other digimon had attacked them and gradually they had grown weaker. Takato no longer new how long they had remained in the digital world, all sense of time was lost.

The cut on rika`s cheek left by the digital ghost of her father had mostly healed but for the faint scar, with luck that too would soon vanish. In the current state of calm rika had time to dwell on the apparition... and the last time she had seen the real thing. Memories long gone began to resurface and would not go no matter how much she hardened her soul

Renamon never truly slept and so was the most alert; occasionally she would withdraw into her mind and slow down certain functions such as breathing and her hart rate. This would rejuvenate her and she would soon be completely awake.

She had begun to worry for her tamer, the girls heart seemed to be getting gradually darker. She suspected it was in relation to the image of her father, though she had shown little care for that and had been the first to return to the action. But she new all too well that such things where often a front to protect oneself from emotional harm... especially rika... her whole personality was a shield.

Being a champion level, Gatomon should probably have been the strongest and most mature one there. But in reality she moaned like a difficult child, and continuously hitched rides on Takato's head where she would take a long and quiet catnap... until Takato`s neck began to ache, then he would shake her off and allow her to fall to the ground [Despite being a cat, more often that not she fell on either her behind or head rather than her feet]

The same Illuminative moss from the temple lit the underground tunnels and caves, but the little light it produced just seemed to emphasize the darkness. _"But still"_ Renamon thought as she examined the moss _"there seems like there is gradually more and more, as if extra is needed... but if that`s it then..._ "Rika, Takato, i think we may be getting closer"

The narrow tunnel gradually began to open out and faint noises reached there ears. They reached the end of the tunnel and only ranamon's quick reaction stopped Takato stepping over the edge of a cliff.

Far below a huge city stretched out as far as the eye could see. Almost every virus type digimon you could imagine was down there with the exception of most rookies or things below that level. As if sensing Takato`s thoughts Renamon said "It is the nature of most virus types to prey on the weak, hence few survive to become stronger"

In the centre of the city, about six miles from where they stood, a monstrously imposing citadel rose from amongst the buildings. It bore a slight resemblance to the temple they had passed through but seemed to be much larger and more frightening. "Great!" Takato exclaimed "Now all we need are some disguises and we can be in and out in a flash!" Rika snorted "Disguises! What! Dress up in sheets and say we`re bakemon!"

"WHATS WRONG WITH BAKEMON!!" They turned around with a start. Behind them a large group of the said ghost digimon had gathered behind them, and more were emerging from the walls by the second.

It would have been suicide to challenge so many, they had no choice but to cooperate [though rika proved that even a ghost was not immune to a horse style kick in the stomach] as the lead bakemon ordered them taken to somewhere called `the chamber`.

All Takato could think was _"if that`s there jail... then guilmon should be there too!"_

_

* * *

_

**The chamber**

The doors opened and guilmon looked up angrily, this time he would claw out the other eye "Guilmon?" His reptilian eyes widened "Takato?" The gogglehead wrenched himself free from the bakemon`s grasp and ran to his partner, Gatomon could be heard hissing and clawing at the bakemon for the same freedom but they kept there grip on her.

Takato barely had time to embrace his partner before the bakemon pulled him away and chained him to the wall on guilmons left crucifixion style. Rika was chained beside Takato and Gatomon on guilmons other side. The childish dinosaur had a look on his face that said `everything`s right with the world` Takato sighed.

A commotion was heard outside and Renamon was dragged in by no less than twelve bakemon. Apparently she had become tired of `coming quietly` The unfortunate kitsune was soon bound with more black chains than any of the others and still she fought to get at the ghostly figures [one in particular it seemed]

That one seemed to be the leader of the group as the others left when he gestured. Once they had left it said "Nice to see you again" and slowly took the form... of bokomon. "I knew something was wrong with him from the start" Renamon growled and tried again to get at him. "Is that why you're trying to kill him?" Takato asked, curious.

She gave him a withering look "No... The pervert touched me"

Takato blushed and pretended ha hadn't heard"

* * *

**Shinjuku Park: 1.25Pm**

Impmon`s stomach knotted as he watched the men in black suits set up there equipment, they had found his gate, and from listening to them they planned to close it. He couldn't let that happen... but what could he do? He had found out the hard way that, not only was he now a rookie level, but he was an embarrassingly week rookie level.

"Damn it" he cursed lighting a fireball on his index finger, then thinking better of it "How am i gonna get back to da dark area... how am i gonna get my power back...! Damn it the demon lords will kill me if i don't give reports... they`ll think I've gone turncoat on`em"

One of the men breathed a gruff sigh "Why cant the big shots do this from that fancy control room of there`s?" a balding man with a scraggly beard replied "Because there system doesn't even register that its here, it`s protected against there scanners somehow. We found it by accident, apparently some civilian called in thinking it was an alien"

The balding man pulled an object akin to a lightning rod from a leather case; it was soon set up so that the pointed end was submerged in the sparkling light of the gate. The group of agents then connected the rod to a series of portable generators and all but one stepped back.

The remaining man opened a state of the art laptop and connected it to a transmitter; the necessary programs were installed on the computer, now they had in effect a miniature Hypnos system. "Activating yuggoth" the man spoke in a bored monotone, his thoughts mostly on the mental picture of a braised steak.

Yuggoth viciously attacked the gate with continuous strikes of purple lightning from the rod, soon it`s beautiful form twisted and warped. Immediately the lightning changed tactics, it took hold of the gates corners like a lasso taking a bull and gradually pulled it shut.

Impmon watched it all with a sinking feeling as he realised he had now lost his only way home, and the demon lords would either assume him dead or a traitor, either was just as bad to him.

"_Damn it! I`m stuck in this weakling body...! Ugh... my stomach hurts"_

* * *

**The chamber**

It had seemed so simple, find the dark area, find the city and guilmon, don't get caught... and what had they done? "I CANT BELIVE WE GOT CAUGHT!" Rika yelled "THIS IS YOUR FAULT GOGGLEHEAD! GET YOUR ASS OVER HEAR SO I CAN KICK IT ALL THE WAY TO CHINA!!"

Takato`s ears were spared another lashing by the opening of the door. He was surprised to see another human, she was tall and appeared to be very beautiful, but this was difficult to tell with the steel mask covering her face.

The mask was detailed and delicate, thin and carved from silver; it showed the sleeping face of an angelic woman and captivated his eyes. The masked woman wore her dark hair in a long braid, and the black dress clung to her hips. It was then that he realised she was not human [if the four large bat wings were any indication] and he recognised the golden clawed glove on her right hand to be the legendary `Nazar Nail`

"Lillithmon..." he breathed, this was something he should have expected coming to the home of the seven demon lords, but with his mind focused on saving guilmon the demons had completely slipped his mind "What`s with the costume change" he asked, eying the mask.

Lillithmon went rigid, and her face turned to him. He didn't even see her move, but he felt her hand grasp his neck and squeeze. "You Must be Takato matsuki... pleased to meet you" she turned his head to see it from another angle... gave a satisfied nod, and released her hold.

If his hands had been free he would have flung his hands to his neck _"I didn't know she was so tetchy"_ When he had regained his breath he asked "Why did you bring guilmon here...? What do you want?"

"Simply to please my lord" Takato frowned and searched what he new about the demon lords... and his eyes widened "Lucemon! What does he want with guilmon!?" Behind her mask lillithmon smiled "Aren't you a well informed human. The answer is nothing... anymore, we now know that he is useless to us... you are the one we want, Takato Matsuki"

Rika was beginning to feel rather left out of the conversation so she said "What`s so special about him?" Though she had a good idea what it was. Lillithmon refocused her attention to her "Ah... i feel as if i am meeting legends" her voice had a scornful tone to it "After my many conversations with the red Jar-head i feel i know you so well... red hair, funny coloured eyes... so your the angry girl, correct?"

Rika flared up "FUNNY EYES! I`LL SHOW YA FUNNY EYES YOU MASK WEARING SLUT!!!" The demon lady chuckled "He described you so well" with all interest in her lost, she returned to Takato

"So, you want to know what lord lucemon has in store for you, goggle-boy?" Takato bit his lip; something told him this wasn't good.

* * *

**Digital world: Southern quadrant: Sovereigns fortress **

Few could claim to have successfully infiltrated the fortress of a sovereign; it was an interesting achievement he supposed. But technically he had only followed ninjamon, a good and noble friend. For the ninja`s own safety he had ordered him to leave, now, if something went wrong ninjamon would be safe.

His bravery had earned him acclaim among his tribe as a child, and even more so his modesty. Never would he boast and hardly acknowledged his own achievements. These days his kind where practically nonexistent, in the years since the final battle he had seen only one other [and he had died soon after] he sometimes believed he was truly the last.

There ancient feud with the ogremon race had sparked a war between there peoples. When it became clear to the ogremon that losing was unavoidable the signed a deal with Devimon, the messenger of the demon lords. In return for the total annihilation of there enemies the ogremon would live for and serve the demon lords and the other peoples of the dark area

But he never let this stop him from carrying out his purpose for existence, protecting the innocent. For a long time now he had suspected this. That the sovereign's personal vendetta with the humans would lead to this. He had authorised, no, encouraged the destruction of innocent human lives during the search for the catalyst.

Not even he could be allowed to do this. The first of Zhuqiaomon`s Deva`s stepped forward, it had been hard for him to find the data he needed on the deva`s but he had, with time and patience, found some. Each one was at the ultimate level; each had been personally modified by the sovereign.

In his search for information he had found two things that interested him above all else. First, there were twelve deva`s, and supposedly there were meant to be three for each sovereign, but somehow he had claimed all twelve for his `search and destroy team`

The second was the irony of there appearance, and the order they were intended to be sent. It was based on a human calendar. He looked at the first Deva from his concealed position _"First the rat" _his eyes moved down the line inspecting each one _"The OX, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and the Pig" _He scratched his mane with a thoughtful look "Why? To give insult to the injury

He pushed such thoughts from his mind, he needed to be on his toes in this place, and he needed to be ready. He saw the shining data of a digital gate appear before the Deva and silently drew his sword _"Not yet..." _He thought. The Deva prepared to enter the gate _"Not yet..." _He strengthened his grip on the sword. The Deva stepped through and the gate began to close _"NOW!!" _He screamed in his mind and leapt from his hiding place vanishing into the gate just as it closed.

None of the other Deva`s had time to react to hijacking of the gate, they only stared. The huge phoenix sovereign growled "Find out how that Leomon made it in here... and kill anyone who helped him"

* * *

**Hypnos: 1.30Pm**

"Sir we have high level wild ones on-rout to bioemerge!" yamaki`s throat went dry "Riley, please tell me the plural was a slip of the tong" the woman shook her head "I`m afraid not sir, two wild ones, the first is a secondary level and the other is a third"

Yamaki swore "Deploy yuggoth! What else can go wrong today" a beeping noise came from his pager. He took it from his pocket and read the message _"Hmm... the first stage is complet_e, _but i need one intact to complete it" _"Oh, and riley..." she stopped what she was doing and looked down at him "Yes sir?"

"Send a team over, i want one for study"

* * *

**Shinjuku School: Gym class: 1.35Pm**

The class stood outside by the long strip of sand that was used to measure a students jumping ability. Gym uniform consisted of a white t-shirt and a pair of blue shorts [or skirts in the case of the girls] Jeri sat high up on the bleachers with kazu kenta and Henry, watching the proceedings.

Kazu, having seen the small white creature, had only been consoled by the fact that Jeri did not yet have a digivice, and thus she was not a tamer, but still he was sore that with all the digimon entering reality not a single one had so much as shook his hand.

The strip of sand was not the only facility viewable from the bleachers, there was also a small football field, and a tennis court where a group of girls were practising there swings. Many of them were well exercised and fit, this drew Kenta`s attention like a magnet, hence, he did not here the teacher call his name.

"KENTA!!!" The blue-green haired boy jolted and quickly turned his eyes back to the beetroot haired man "Yes sir...?" The man sneered "Since you enjoy watching the tennis class so much, Perhaps you`d like to join them?" Everyone began laughing, including the tennis-girls [who had heard the man`s raised voice] Kenta went bright red and buried his head in his hands, hoping for the bleachers to swallow him whole.

Jeri glanced down at her school bag where she had hidden the walking cream puff; it seemed to be... shaking. She reached down and unbuttoned the bag. Sure enough the small thing was shaking uncontrollably, she tried soothing it with a stroke but id didn't seem to make a difference.

A rapid beeping noise filled the air drawing all attention away from kenta [to his great relief] and onto Henry, who was the source of the beeping. Henry pulled his digivice from his pocket and stared at the screen. Jeri heard him mutter "Damn, not now" before grabbing his bag and descending the bleachers babbling a quick apology to the baffled teacher before running from the field.

Jeri looked after him curiously _"whatever happening has the little guy spooked... what is it?" _they say curiosity killed the cat, Jeri hoped she was anything but a cat as she made a quick excuse to the teacher and took of after the tamer, taking the cream puff with her.

* * *

**Shinjuku Park [Where else?] 2.00Pm**

Henry felt sick, with Takato gone and him the only tamer it was possible he would have to fight the digimon _"Maybe it`s a good one"_ he thought _"I hope so, i don't want to kill it... i don't want terriermon to fight again" _The digivice alerted him with a startled bleeping that whatever digimon had been coming had now arrived, and the compass function directed him towards his left.

He changed direction and continued running, now panting for breath despite being fit and healthy. Two minuets later he came to a halt on a hard pressed dirt path around for feet wide with many trees to his right. To his left was a large concrete wall on a slight inward slant, craning his neck up Henry could see that the park continued above it with more trees and shrubbery, like a giant`s doorstep.

Henry looked about franticly, where was the digimon?

Jeri spied from behind a rose bush. Though she never really let it be seen she was as interested in digimon as the rest of her friends [the male ones anyway, the girls all teased the digimon fans making the show out to be a silly boy thing. But her card collection was almost as big as Takato`s [though she had no clue how to use them] thus she was exited to see her first digimon battle an, if she was really lucky, her own partner.

Listening intently Henry heard a faint noise like the static in-between the channels on TV or… running water! His head darted up and his eyes trained on the circular steal grid set into the wall three feet above him. His eyes widened and he ran for the cover of the trees just as a barrage of sewage water ripped the grid from it`s place and spewed out into the park.

Jeri gagged at the smell and momentarily wondered how such fowl things could even exist. Looking closer she thought she saw a shape moving in the torrent of sewage… could it have been the digimon?

Henry held his breath and watched the murky waters intently for signs of the digimon. Slowly the water slowed to only a trickle [though much sewage still lay strewn across the once neat path] and there was not a digimon in sight [excluding terriermon] He remerged from the bushes [watching his step and trying to ignore the smell] the ground was muddy and in one spot churned up, as if… as is something had gone underground!

He jumped to the side with terriermon on his head just as the ground below him erupted sending a mushroom cloud of dirt into the air. Thankfully he landed on a dry patch of earth and rose to his feet unharmed ready for anything.

A high pitched, obnoxious voice spoke as the dusk began to clear "Disgusting humans, you build but to destroy, I am here for the catalyst, but I am allowed fun during my stay!" a bolt of electricity split the dust and struck Henry in his shoulder.

He collapsed, gritting his teeth. He rose his fingers to the damaged tissue and felt blood, he could tell he was badly burned and would need medical attention _"I wont be able to hide this one from mom" _he thought biting back the pain.

Jeri`s eyes widened and the small creature cowered in her arms burying its face in her chest. She watched her friend's partner take a fighting stance, temporarily discarding his joking nature to protect his injured tamer.

As the dust settled the digimon`s form became visible, a yellow steel orb with a kanji written in black and a white bar-like pattern looping round. The orb had four thin white legs and two light brown wings, more extraordinary though was that the digimon had the head of a white rat, two blood red eyes, three horns, and red scar-like marks on it`s cheeks.

His weapon of choice seemed to be the clawed golden bar strapped to its back which was named the "treasure pestle" it was from this that the lightning had struck. "Now, hand over the catalyst! And die silently"

Terriermon growled and raised a threatening paw "Fat chance A-hole, now come get a piece of but-whop from yours truly!" under normal circumstances Henry would have scolded the dog-bunny on his choice of words, but this time he would let it slide. In three seconds flat a digivolution card was drawn from the holster that was ever present on any tamer and slashed through the receiving slot of the digivice.

"**Digi-Modify... Digivolution activate!"**

**D-I-G-I-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N "TERRIERMON DIGIVOLVE TO....GARGOMON!"**

The digimon sneered "You would fight your fellow digimon…? You are scum!" Gargomon shrugged his heavy shoulders "Yea well, there`s scum and then there`s scum, personally I prefer the later" and with that he swung one of his large weaponed hands at the rat deva`s head.

A quick flicker and it was gone, Gargomon gaped at the empty space where the Deva should have been _"What the…?"_

Henry rose his digivice with a shaky hand, his head swam as blood trickled from his wound. The D-arc`s holo-screen flashed up and began searching for the records of there opponent. Seconds passed and nothing came up "Come on…" Henry willed the device to move faster "We don't have all…"

A resounding crack echoed through the park as the digimon flashed up behind gargomon and fired his treasure pestle sending the five ton rabbit into the concrete wall beside the muddy path. Henry flinched and looked away "Come on!" he swore and shook the D-arc, looking for some reaction.

The digivice bleeped happily, as if pleased with itself, and proudly displayed the data it had gathered, he read the information to his partner "Kumbhiramon, Ultimate level vaccine type, his attacks are treasure pestle and Deva clone"

The Rat-ish digimon sneered at the little green device and spoke with his high pitched and mocking voice "Hn, What a cute little toy! Does it do pinball?" Gargomon, temporarily distracted, looked to Henry with excitement in his eyes "Does it have pinball!?"

"**Treasure Pestle!" **Gargomon was wrenched back to realty by a short sharp bolt of lightning in the back, he staggered, turned, and delivered a hard uppercut to the rat`s face with his gauntleted paws. It was then that Kumbhiramon`s lack of weight became apparent, Gargomon`s punch gave him a total altitude of twelve meters at the peak of his arch, and a painful looking crash landing.

Despite the strength of the blow, Kumbhiramon seemed unfazed and responded in full with a highly charged `treasure pestle` attack. Gargomon back flipped to dodge returned fire with a barrage of Gargo lasers. The resulting firelight lasted several moments and looked, to all observers, much like a scene right out of Star-wars.

With an annoyed growl Kumbhiramon flickered and vanished, again showing off his dangerous speed.

Gargomon backpedalled, his eyes darting around in search of his opponent. A small cry escaped Henry's lips as the rat-ish digimon grabbed a-hold of him by the back of the head and sneered "Over here bunny-boy" Gargomon spun-round in a remarkable show of speed for a five ton rabbit/dog "Put him…"

"Down!" finished a deeper, more mature voice that none present recognised. Jeri`s eyes widened as she looked in awe at the new arrival [and lets be honest if you saw a six foot bipedal lion with a sword and brown pants, you would also stare in awe]

Leomon stood directly behind the rat-like creature wearing a mask of calm determination that commanded respect from anyone who looked into his golden eyes, and holding his blade against the back of the deva`s neck. Kumbhiramon`s eyes narrowed "Leomon…? I thought those accursed demon lords wiped your kind out millennia ago?"

Leomon growled "They must have missed a few, my apologies for the inconvenience" Kumbhiramon giggled and dropped Henry [Who was by now becoming woozy from the blood loss] and turned his head to face leomon "No, I`m afraid the inconvenience is all yours… **"Deva Clone!"**

"**Treasure Pestle!" **A second Kumbhiramon flickered into existence behind leomon and unleashed the crackling yellow lightning of the treasure pestle in its full force. Leomon brought his blade up to parry the lightning and, in the same movement, brought it down on the left foreleg of the clone cleaving the limb from it`s torso in one fell swoop.

Both Kumbhiramon hissed with pain and took a few steps back and stood together as they prepared to double team the small group with there treasure pestle. Dismissing for the moment the leomon`s motive, Gargomon turned his firearms on the unprepared deva, who was still reeling from the injury _"After all" _he thought_ "My enemy`s enemy is my friend, and if this guys`s my friend to start with that`s even better!"_

"**Gargo Laser!"**

The tripod Kumbhiramon clone stepped in front of it`s master, taking the bullets and fragmenting. The original giggled with unconcealed mirth "Want to try that again… **"Deva Clone" **Dividing himself into five identical copies, Kumbhiramon surrounded the three of them in a circle, grinning manically.

"**Treasure Pestle!" **the five attacked simultaneously with the largest strike yet from the odd weapon on the rat deva`s back. The ground in the centre of the circle erupted and Jeri squealed as her friend, his partner, and there supposed saviour disappeared in the explosion.

Jeri stared with a sick feeling in her gut as the dust cleared and nothing could be seen but a crater in the ground. Kumbhiramon sneered yet again and let his clones vanish "Hn, sick domesticated fool`s, that was just too easy" he shook his head and turned to begin his search for the catalyst… and his eyes widened.

"**Fist of the Beast King!" **

The lion-head shaped Fireball detonated in the deva`s face and damaged his precious treasure pestle, the gold-clawed object slitting open length-ways and becoming badly singed. Kumbhiramon collapsed to his knees and glared at the culprit though bloodshot eyes.

Leomon stood feet away, with the injured Henry and an out of sort's terriermon on his back. The noble lion levelled his gaze on his dishevelled enemy and said "I can not allow you to hurt or kill humans, they do not deserve to die for there mistakes… **"Fist of the Beast King!"**

As the data dispersed terriermon wondered if it was worth the trouble of loading the data. _"Nah_…" he thought _"that little creep`s data cant be worth much"_

* * *

**A short distance away**

A girl, slightly small for her age and dressed in gothic clothing with blond hair, watched the group quietly with blue eyes that pierced steel. The boy matsuki leaving was unfortunate, the tamers would need leadership quite soon, and she was forbidden to interfere. It didn't help that the sovereign for this world was corrupt; things would be so much easier if he would help, but she was human and he had refused her.

But was that entirely accurate now? She had been human to be sure... but what was she now... no matter, she had a job to. She eyed the half Chinese boy curiously, maybe he would fill the matsuki boy`s empty shoes in his absence.

She would have to find out, but not now, she had stayed in the flesh and blood world too long already "Its time to leave" she said to the quadruped beside her "but we must keep an eye on them"

* * *

Jeri slowly walked toward her friend and the two digimon, as she got closer Henry looked up and stared at her in confusion "Jeri…? What are you doing here?"

"Uh, well… you see" No, he wouldn't see, she was screwed. She watched leomon closely, feeling somehow connected "Hi…" her voice came with a slight tremble "Hello" leomon responded, respectfully bowing his head.

Jeri smiled, then flinched as Henry spoke again, sounding annoyed "Jeri…!" _"Damn…"_

* * *

**Dark area: Hellmouth**

"What is Armageddon`s status?" questioned the young voice of lucemon as he fiddled with a small wooden puzzle [a present from lillithmon] The second sneered "It goes well my Master, the first seal has been opened and only eight remain, and after careful examination of the tablet i have come to realise that the ninth seal must be opened by the one who will control it... you, of course"

"Indeed..." the angelic child seemed too preoccupied to have heard but in reality he had absorbed every word "... And what of the hazard, has lillithmon made any progress?" The second shook his head "The digimon proved a dead end, simply a shadow of the true power within his human partner... the woman has him to now, she has just begun the..." he chuckled "Interrogation... the power of hazard will also be ours, and Armageddon will be invincible"

Although exited lucemon showed no emotion "This is good news... tell lillithmon as a reward... no, a gift from me, the life of that digimon is now hers... it was a terrible thing, what it did to he beautiful face"

* * *

**Zandermon: Yay another one finished, I`ll give you a heads up on the next one, it`ll probably be late [but I'll try to make it early]**

**Angewomon: Yea right, and my eyes are brown**

**Lady.D: aren't they?**

**Angewomon: NO! There blue you dummy!**

**Lady.D: Well how should I know, you never take that stupid mask off!**

**Angewomon: [Fumes]**

**Zandermon: Well without another word from the bickering wonders we`ll bid thee goodnight**

**Angewomon and Lady.D: HEY!!!!**

********

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* * *

  
**


	9. Treasure Sword

**Zandermon: Hi, now I know it has been a long time since I updated and you have every right to put a hellova lot of exclamation marks in your messages and flame me and the whole nine yards but please give me an opportunity to explain myself. It started with bad writers block; I couldn't make the ending work, when I finally did a computer error lost everything in that session. After a few weeks I managed to recreate the work but hit another block. Finally, a week ago I lost the data stick which holds my chapters, I wont blame this entirely on computers though, i have spent a lot of time reading and thereby losing sleep and making it harder to write**

**Lady.D: Yea, you spend way too many late nights reading**

**Angewomon: Uh-Hu**

**Zandermon; Well anyway, I apologise, and after all that this is only the first half of the completed chapter so it's not that long for me. But please read it anyway and hopefully enjoy what I have.**

* * *

**Tamers: Guardian of The Hazard [chapter 08 Part01: Treasure Sword]**

**Saturday 24****th****/01/06 Wong apartment]**

**5.00Am**

Henry Wong stirred uneasily under the sheets; Jeri had explained that she had simply been curios and had decided to follow in hopes of seeing the digimon. He had collapsed soon after, unconscious. He had woken in a hospital bed an hour later with his parents, Jeri, Kazu, and Kenta, all at his bedside.

The story was, according to Jeri, that he had tripped and hit his head on a rock after leaving school early for a tummy ache. Henry wasn't sure his father had bought the girls hastily thrown together story, but the man had accepted it at least.

Despite the large amount of blood that had flowed from the wound, the doctors had deemed it a `minor injury, and had released him after only a few hours in the hospital.

Terriermon had apparently taken the Leomon to the hut that had belonged to Guilmon for the night [though Henry suspected they would find the golden champion gone or dead from annoyance at the small dog-bunny`s antics]

His sleep was troubled; something did not sit right with him about the fight, about the Leomon, about Kumbhiramon. What it was he did not know… but the Leomon did, and if not… who else would?

* * *

**Guilmon s hut: 10:00Am**

Later, Henry sat by Jeri in the park watching Leomon, he was sitting cross-legged by the entrance with his back to them as he looked up into the sky that was so unfamiliar to him. Terriermon seemed depressed; apparently Leomon was immune to his dark abilities.

Henry glanced at Jeri, wondering if she was thinking the same things he was, she glanced back at him, but soon returned to her fixation of Leomon. Biting his lip, Henry decided to voice his thoughts "Leomon, why did you come here? Was it because of Kumbhiramon? Who was he?"

Leomon turned his head to look at them "… I came here to destroy him and protect the human world, Kumbhiramon was the first in a group of twelve ultimate level digimon created by Zhuqiaomon the digimon sovereign, they are called the Deva, and they are looking for the missing light of digivolution which is now inside the catalyst, Zhuqiaomon and the other sovereign`s seem to believe that the catalyst takes the form of a digimon, but id do not know which kind"

This perked Jeri`s interest "Do they think it is here… in our world?" Leomon nodded. She frowned "But I thought digimon evolved when they grew older and stronger, or with the help of a digidestined?" the lion smiled, a warm smile despite the showing of sharp teeth "That is the way of the eastern quadrant the domain of azulongmon… it is quite different in the southern quadrant when Zhuqiaomon rules with a fiery temper, there one is required to destroy and load the data of other digimon to gain the strength, but one still needs the light of digivolution to be present in the realm.

Henry blinked in surprise when he mentioned azulongmon and the eastern quadrant did this mean that the TV show was true in more ways than one? "Wait…?" he said, holding up his hands "What do you mean by quadrants? There was an azulongmon in the TV-show, are you saying that was real... all those things with primary village, and gennai and digidestined?"

Leomon looked him in the eye "… I will try to explain, there are four quadrants of the digital world, separate and connected at the same time, as I said the eastern and southern quadrants are ruled by Azulongmon and Zhuqiaomon, while the northern and western quadrants are ruled by Ebonwumon and Baihumon. Each one is very different depending on the personality of it`s sovereign, and according to legend, each is connected to a different variation of the world of humans"

The two humans gaped, this meant that there were other worlds, and the show had really happened. Leomon continued "The primary village is as real as you or me, however the southern and northern quadrants do not have one, in the southern because the data is absorbed by other digimon, and in the northern because the digimon are reborn as eggs on the spot, and in the western quadrant it is called the village of beginnings as opposed to primary village"

"The name gennai is not familiar to me, would you please tell me more… then I will try to answer your question on that matter" Henry nodded "Gennai was an old man who helped the digidestined, he looked like a human but claimed to be neither human or digimon, that he was digital but had no attributes"

"I see… this gennai must have been one of the guardians… the digital world in not just the home of digimon, there are also the guardians, the Digi-Gnomes and according to legend a fourth race which is belived to be nothing more than a story to scare young ones. Like us the guardians are digital beings but, having no attributes or attacks they rarely fight or condone fighting, some call them the librarians of the digital world, this is because they are said to be the only ones to have a complete history of the digital world from the creation to now"

"However, some time ago there happened a great many things and they now consist of merely a hundred or so guardians and all of them are in the eastern quadrant, they are either not welcome or are to afraid to spend more time than necessary in the other quadrants, none have been seen in the southern for millennia…"

The two humans were wide eyed; this meant that he really did exist! They both had many more questions but as fate would have it; Henry`s D-ark chose that moment to blare out an exited warning. It was another Digimon… another Deva.

* * *

It was ugly, and it stunk, like a cattle shed on a country farm, It was a large OX-centaur with three horns, red eyes, and red samurai style armour with yellow trimming and gold tattoo`s on its legs. It had two Broadswords strapped to either side of its waist.

The OX-centaur had appeared in the middle of a bust town centre and people were fleeing for their lives as it began to destroy the human structures. It did not appear to have noticed them yet, which was good because it gave them the element of surprise.

Terriermon had digivolved on the way and Leomon accompanied them [which Henry was extremely grateful for] but for some reason Jeri had insisted on coming too. Leomon had identified the thing as the second Deva, so they new what it was after… sort of.

Just as with Kumbhiramon the D-ark was struggling to show them data, but after a few tense minuets it produced results which Henry announced to the rest of the group "Vajiramon, Ultimate level vaccine type, his attacks are Deva Blade and Terra Blade"

Leomon nodded "I believe we should make an attack plan, this one will be stronger than the last…" Henry agreed "Yea… we`ll attack from both sides, Leomon will attack from behind and attempt to sever his legs from his body, Gargomon will then attack from the front with his Gargo laser and we shall then close in together for a joint attack and final kill move" the lion digimon was impressed, he couldn't have put it better himself.

"That is a good plan, I commend you, just say the word young one, I am ready" Henry realised with shock that he had somehow become the leader! That was not what he wanted, but now was not the time to argue the point. He watched the Deva closely, waiting for it to give an opening, it moved on from it`s original position, there was a small alley next to it, one that Henry knew could be reached from where they where.

"Gargomon, go around the buildings and wait in that alley for Leomon to make his move" the Gun-bunny nodded in acknowledgement and rushed off, keeping low so as not to be noticed. Vajiramon seemed to be distracted by a young boy who was crouched against the wall holding a toy robot and looking at the OX Digimon in fear. Henry grated his teeth when he saw this; he turned to Leomon and said "Now!"

Leomon broke cover and rushed the Deva, sword drawn; he slashed at the back legs making a shallow but painful incision. Leomon growled in frustration, he had intended to cleave the limbs off but the muscle mass had been too dense. Vajiramon roared and turned toward the Digimon, only to receive a barrage of lasers in his face.

The two digimon regrouped directly in front of the wounded Deva and prepared their attacks.

"**Fist of the Beast King!"**

"**Gargo Laser!"**

The lion-shaped fire and laser pellets collided with the Deva`s chest and it doubled over grunting. The two digimon backed of cautiously Vajiramon was wounded but not defeated, it hadn't even attacked yet. The Deva began to laugh as the pain subsided, he straightened up and faced them "Hm, I congratulate you on getting the first hit, but I promise you shall not get another"

He drew the two swords and raised them above his head, then brought them down striking the ground yelling **"Terra Blade" **twin energy beams shot from each sword, one beam hit Gargomon and the other would have hit Leomon had he not dodged.

After avoiding the attack leomon charged at the Deva with his blade held horizontally before his chest, he swung the blade at Vajiramons throat but found his blade parried by one of the Deva's, Leomon took the opportunity to launch a "fist of the beast king" attack into it`s ugly face but the blazing lion was blocked by the flat of the Broadsword in it`s free hand. Lightning quick the Deva sheathed that sword and rammed it`s fist into Leomon`s face.

Leomon flew across the street and collided with Gargomon who was just getting up. Henry growled, things weren't going so well, he swiped a speed and power combo through his D-ark improving his digimons abilities temporarily. Gargomon flickered out of existence and reappeared behind Vajiramon firing a super powered "Gargo laser" which hit the Deva in the back causing him to fall to the ground in pain with his shoulder armour covered in spider web cracks.

Gargomon then went to help Leomon and the two of them retreated back to Henry who now stood in the street having left Jeri in the alley watching and terrified fascination. When Vajiramon regained his footing he smiled at the evilly "The two of you impress me, and your teamwork is admirable, but now, lets stop playing and begin the real fight, **Deva Blade!"** he crossed his swords in an X formation firing a supercharged energy beam of the same shape.

The ground around them exploded and Gargomon screamed in pain.

* * *

**The chamber**

No one had been to see them since lillithmon had described the terrible torture that Takato would experience as she and her subordinates ripped the Hazard from he weak human body. Guilmon had not understood all of the words, but he did understand that they were going to put Takato through the same things as they had him.

Lillithmon had wisely kept her distance as he began to snarl and thrash at the chains.

Renamon, who had regained her composure, had felt almost as angered at the threats as she would have if they had been directed at her own tamer, Gatomon had been just angry as Guilmon, and even Rika became angry as she inwardly realised but refused to admit that she had come to think of Takato as sort of a friend, no! Partner, comrade, trusted acquaintance… bah! Anything but friend.

She had ground her teeth together, torn between her pride which wanted her to ignore what was being said in cold indifference, and the… inexplicable feeling of hatred for the digimon who had made such threats to Takato.

That had been a few hours ago, exactly how long none of them knew, but when the door again opened it no longer mattered. It was lillithmon again, but she now gave off a different air, she seemed… exited. Surprisingly she ignored them all except Guilmon and made a beeline for him, keeping just out of range of his claws.

"I have just received a message from Lord Lucemon…" she gave a sadistic chuckle "He says that he no longer has any need for you now that we have your tamer…" at this they all glanced at Takato who looked shocked and confused.

"So he has given me permission to take revenge for what you did to me Guilmon!" she snarled and removed the mask, they were all repulsed by the ghastly scars on he face, one of which seemed to be slightly infected, and the empty socket Oozed thick, half congealed blood "You are going to die Guilmon, your time is limited, and your death will be slow…"

She straightened up from her crouched position and turned to Takato "Until then… we`ll see what we can't do about your little occupant…" Takato gulped, did she mean the Hazard, or…an image appeared of his mind, the memory of the shadowed man, his "concerned relative"… whichever that meant… Takato knew he would have to ask him what was happening, as soon as he showed himself again.

* * *

Gargomon hissed as he moved a muscle too far and his burnt flesh tinged unpleasantly, it hurt but he was relatively undamaged. What hurt most was his pride, he and Leomon were fighting all out and had landed a few good shots and the Deva had just as many injuries as them if not more, but he was treating it as a game! And his attacks freakin hurt!

Leomon roared again as he took another swipe with his blade held in one hand while the other was balled into a fist with the beast king attack surrounding it. He used that hand to parry the second blade then grabbed a hold of it, keeping the two blades motionless and making the Deva vulnerable. For a while now it had just been Leomon fighting while gargomon conserved energy and healed with henrys recharge an power cards, they had been waiting for this.

His next Gargo Laser looked like a hundred cannonball sized lasers fully charged with explosive energy, leomon pushed off and back flipped to safety at the last moment as the attacks detonated leaving Vajiramon in a mess, one of his blades was gone meaning his most powerful attack was now useless, and his entire left arm was phasing and flickering as his data warped into a twisted mess, his armour was practically gone except for a section of the chest plate covering his vitals.

But still he smiled and showed no sign of slowing down just yet, but something in his expression showed careful consideration… as if he was considering a tactical retreat. Henry had been doing a fine job, coming up with a new attack strategy each time one was finished, but as he watched he saw that the two digimon were tiring.

Vajiramon made up his mind, this fight was pointless, it was proving nothing and not helping to find the catalyst in the slightest, he would retreat for now and return later fully healed and stronger, then he would crush them and absorb their data.

The Deva wheeled around and headed for the building where a second portal had been activated in case of an emergency. Henry watched the Deva crash through the glass front of the office building and wondered if he should be somewhat relived, it at least meant they were getting to him… but it also meant that he was getting away and could in fact kill someone.

He signalled to the digimon to join him and pursued the Deva into the building just in time to see him running down the wide staircase to the basement. An idea came to him that would quickly end the fight, and they would need to leave soon, he could already hear the sirens coming toward them.

He cast an intelligent eye at the structure of the building and found a few weak spots. Leomon and Gargomon were looking to him for a plan of action; he quickly outlined his plan to them and pointed out the weak points. Gargomon looked at him as if her were crazy.

"Are you crazy?! You want us to blow up a building ?!" Henry nodded "It`s the only thing I can think of, we don't have the time to fight him, if were not out of here soon the police will find us!" Gargomon did not look convinced "What if it doesn't work? He`s a Digimon after all"

"We`ll cross that bridge when and if we come to it!" Henry said in frustration "Now come on we need to do this fast!" the building had been abandoned, everyone in it had fled along with those on the streets so there was nothing to stop them. Leomon and Gargomon each took aim at one of the spots that Henry had pointed out and attacked them.

"**Gargo laser!"**

"**Fist of the Beast King!" **

Half of the lower floor disappeared and cracks spider webbed across the ceiling before it all came down. Using the last attack had drained Gargomon of his last energy forcing him back to Terriermon. Henry rushed to pick him up as the roof came down and felt leomon grab him just as his arms closed around Terriermon.

Leomon jumped through the wall into the street protecting his passengers with his arms and leapt out of the danger zone and onto a neighbouring building as the one they had destroyed collapsed in on itself. Henry spared a few moments to catch his breath and watch the authorities running around like frightened ants.

It occurred to him to check his D-ark for any digimon signal and as soon as the holographic screen lit up it became apparent that the Deva`s signal had vanished. Henry stood on his own feet and showed the device to his partner and Leomon "Its alright, we won"

Leomon nodded and Terriermon began boasting about how _he _had saved the day practically "on his own" Henry smiled too, but then something occurred to him "Oh crap, Jeri!"

* * *

"What are you doing here this area is a crime scene!" Jeri cowered as she played the part of the innocent and frightened girl "P-please s-sir, I w-was scared and I c-couldn't move a-and it was… it was…" she broke down in highly convincing tears that had the officer`s friends giving him looks that clearly said "come on, did you have to make her cry"

He caught their looks and began stuttering "H-hey, I didn't mean it! I I was just trying to figure out what she was doing here, she could have had something to do with it!" he waved his hands around as he defended himself and tried to hide his guilt at making the poor girl cry.

The other officers shook their heads and Jeri inwardly grinned, thanking her mother for the drama classes as a child. A hand clasped hers in a firm grip and a familiar voice said "Oh thank god you're alright Jeri! Thank you officers for looking after my sister, I'll be getting her out of your way now"

Jeri looked at him and put on a baby face before giving him a crushing hug "Henry!" she was trying not to laugh at the look on the policemen`s face`s as Henry led her away, and once they were out of sight and hearing the tears disappeared as she began to laugh like a child at the circus.

Henry looked at her as if she had gone off her rocker "A-are you alright?" the girl just laughed harder as they met up with the two digimon and made their way back to the park.

* * *

**Takato`s mindscape **

Takato had blacked out from the pain, he had expected that, the boy was only human… for now anyway, but he knew that Takato would soon be aware of his presence, and he wondered how much more he could tell him. There was only one way they could get out of this… it was not the best solution, he was supposed to keep as much from him for as long as possible… but the time had to come, that time it seemed, was now.

As Takato opened his inner eyes and saw that he was once again in his mindscape, the shadowed man walked up to him, and placed a gauntleted hand on the boys shoulder "Takato, you have a question for me…" Takato nodded "Yea, I do, what do they want, the Hazard… or you?"

The man chuckled "I`m afraid that it is not me… it may be better if it was… it is the Hazard that they seek, they want it`s power, and unless you escape they _will_ get it" Takato gulped, he remembered the story of Megidramon, it didn't bare thinking about for there to be seven more like him, the demon lords in the Manga had been bad enough. "But we can't get free, there's no way! These weird chains even hold Renamon and that huge baby thing… what is that anyway?"

"It is the demon lord Belphamon, and there _is _a way for you to get free. You have something belphamon does not…" Takato did not no which was more shocking, the fact that the demon lords had chained one of their own, or that he would be able to get free while Belphamon couldn't "What…?

"The Hazard of course… if you could tap into it`s power but _remain calm _and_ in control…_ then it would be a simple matter… but a dangerous one, you could end up incinerating your own body with its power… but if you don't do it you partner will die, and after that have taken the Hazard so will the girl, Gatomon, and Renamon"

Takato gulped, incineration seemed a nasty way to die, but it would save his friends so it needed to work, it would work! "Ok…!" he said confidently "How do I do this?!"

"That's the spirit Takato, I`m proud…" and so the instruction began

"The Hazard is fundamentally a part of you, even though it is not a part of nature you were born with it in your body, it fused with you in your mothers womb as did your fathers seed, this means that it responds to your emotions and though it does not feel you in essence feel for it and it shares your desires"

"All living beings have something they wish to protect, even evil beings, whether it be friends and family or power and dominion everything shares that common link and this desire is the strongest of all, it is this desire that has previously drawn out the Hazard, but each time it has been in some way corrupted by revenge, another desire both equal and opposite to protection"

"To control the Hazard you must focus on what you wish to protect but ignore thoughts of your enemies, when the time comes to attack them you must think of them as targets and nothing more… at least until you have full control over your emotions"

Takato stared at the figure trying to digest what he had said, he understood it mostly, and was willing to try, but the idea of losing control frightened him "So, if I just think about my friends and setting them free it should work?" The man nodded.

"Yes, now close your eyes and picture their faces, butkeep the faces of your _enemies _out of your mind" Takato did as he was told and shut his eyes, focusing on his friends. The faces of Rika, Gatomon, Renamon, Guilmon, and his parents flashed through his vision and his chest contracted as he thought of them chained up and the familiar urge to help them overwhelmed him, then he though of lillithmon.

His Hazard birthmark glowed as a powerful red mass coated his body, acting like oil on water and burning with the power of the Hazard. He heard the man shout at him and he opened hiss eyes in shock as the Hazard slipped away.

"No, no whatever you do don't think about her… just your friends, stay calm… now try again" slightly worried Takato again tried, going through the same process as previously, this time staying calm and keeping certain thoughts from his mind.

This time when he felt the Hazard it was different, like a roaring flame in a black void just out of reach. He relayed this to the man who nodded, seemingly satisfied "That is good, you've done well, now, in your mind reach out to that flame and take a firm hold of it"

Takato once again followed the instructions; he found it hard, the Hazard seemed angry, as if it wanted him to be angry too. The man told him that this was because it was a thing of destruction and was therefore easiest to feel its power when in a rage.

Takato made a final desperate grab for the burning light and his fingers grasped in his hand. The power flowed through him like a mighty fire in his veins giving him strength but threatening to destroy him. He yelped and felt his grip loosen, the Hazard slipped free and fled to the back of his mind and crouched there like a feral alley cat under a dumpster.

"Good Takato! Very good! You almost had it, try again, once you can keep it in your grasp we can begin on using it…"

* * *

**Zandermon: well that`s that, it may be anything from a week to a month to fix the rest but i will get a few early nights and do my best. Zandermon out. **

********


	10. Terra Blade

**Zandermon: Hey everyone, I finished it!**

**Angewomon: Whoopdedo…**

**Lady.D: Yea a week or two ago would have been nice, what took you so damn long!**

**Zandermon: [**_**gulp**_**] … **_**Sorry…**_

* * *

**Tamers: Guardian of The hazard [chapter 08 Part02: Terra Blade]**

**Saturday 24****th****/01/06: **

**Digital World, Sovereigns Palace**

"Lord Zhuqiaomon, I an afraid I lost my battle, though I now know whom is responsible for Kumbhiramon`s death…" Vajiramon bowed his head respectfully to his master who seemed to be more than a little angry "I ask that you restore my data and give me a second chance my lord, I will not fail you this time, and I will avenge my fallen comrade"

Zhuqiaomon gave him an appraising look "Hmm… who was it you fought, who was Kumbhiramon`s murderer!?" Zhuqiaomon had taken the death of one of his deva`s personally, long ago each sovereign been served by three deva, but the originals had been destroyed in the wars of the hazard. Zhuqiaomon had recovered what remained of their data and recreated them by fusing it with his own in hopes of returning the group to life.

It had only partially succeeded, none of them had remembered their past lives, they had been reborn in their lowest levels and Zhuqiaomon himself had given them a steady stream of data until they had reached the ultimate level. Despite only a partial success the sovereign had come to see them as his children, and one had been murdered.

"It was two champion level digimon, a Gargomon and a Leomon, normally such a match would give me no trouble but they were partnered with a human who told them what to do and could somehow upgrade the Gargomon`s strength beyond it`s natural level"

Zhuqiamon fumed, humans, humans again! Why did they constantly cause destruction to his world!? And now these traitorous Digimon had sided with them! And followed their orders!! It was unacceptable.

"I will restore your data my son and I will make you stronger than you were before, take my data and crush those who killed your brother! Then find the catalyst and wreak destruction upon their world!!" with that data flew from the sovereigns body and began the job of restoring and improving his form.

* * *

**Subway: 3.40Pm**

Henry and Jeri were currently on the subway to Jeri's home, Terriermon was once again riding in Henry's backpack while poor leomon had to cling to the roof of their carriage. Henry had spent the ride telling Jeri everything he knew about Digimon outside of the show from bio-emergence and the cards to D-ark`s, though admittedly that was not much.

They had just stopped at another station which was only two more stops from the girls home when the small group heard a sound that they had hoped would not come for some time, the beeping of Henry's D-ark.

Henry quickly checked the device and looked at the map on the wall to compare the two "Looks like… the west gate bridge…? Come on, we`ll change trains here!" Jeri nodded and the two hopped onto the station signaling leomon to get off as well and hide quickly.

* * *

**West Gate Bridge**

**4.35Pm**

Another explosion rocked the bridge as several abandoned cars were tossed into the water by a supercharged X-shaped laser fired by a pair of menacing swords wielded by a doubly menacing OX-centaur. Vajiramon sneered, when he had arrived he had immediately sent several occupied vehicles into the river, not long after these pathetic humans had fled, not one putting up the slightest fight, now he waited for his target to arrive, then he would kill them and continue to demolish their city while he searched for the catalyst.

He crossed his swords again to launch another attack, this one charged for a long distance, and aimed it at a large building on one side of the bridge.

"**Terra Blade!"**

"**Gargo Laser!" "Fist of the Beast King!" **The two other attacks collided with the deva`s in a startling explosion of ire and energy, Vajiramon snarled at the resulting smokescreen "About time…" a rather annoying voice responded from the smoke "What! You were expecting us and you didn't even bother to prepare tea! Where are your manners?" This was followed by another voice saying in a warning tone "Gargomon…"

"Moumentai"

Vajiramon rose his swords as the smoke began to clear and was immediately struck by another barrage of lasers and a flaming lion head. He grunted slightly but didn't move, the attacks hurt less now he noticed, his father had strengthened his armor as well.

He listened carefully and heard the sound of his targets moving fast, seemingly trying to find another position to attack from and keep him disorientated. Vajiramon gripped his swords tighter, this time there would be no messing around or underestimation, he knew what they were capable of and each strike would be intended to kill, but the problem was, they knew what he could do to.

A light breeze caught the last of the smoke and carried it away in an instant; before he could react a gauntleted fist collided with his head while the leomon body slammed him.

Henry and Jeri saw this from their spot behind an old rusted land rover and pumped their fists, neither knew how he had survived or healed so fast but Henry believed they would be able to beat him again. That wasn't to say he was overconfident, he was ready to change his plan if something went wrong.

After slamming into the Deva Leomon backed up and prepared another Beast king attack before checking the direction of the wind. It was blowing toward him from his right so…

"**Fist of the Beast King!" **he launched the attack to his right catching the gas tank of a vehicle about a hundred feet away. The explosion caught two neighboring cars and the three went up in flames, black smoke began flooding toward them as the wind carried it. Out of the corner of his eye Leomon saw Gargomon taking the next step of the plan, moving the two humans to the other side of the burning vehicles and out of the toxic smoke, which fortunately would not affect the digimon quite so much.

Vajiramon was getting again and saw the Leomon Send another Beast King attack at him just as the smoke blocked his vision. He managed to dodge the attack and send a counterstrike where he had last seen the champion but did not hear it strike anything.

High up on the suspensions of the bridge Leomon stood on one of the metal beams looking down at their "battle arena" as terriermon had called it. Henry and Jeri were safely behind another vehicle observing the fight while Gargomon stood atop of heavy goods vehicle, a modify card active to allow him to see through their smoke screen.

Leomon did not need a card for that, his sharp hearing and eyesight gave him an almost perfect view of their enemy, in short henrys plan had given them not only the advantage of numbers but of the high ground and the element of surprise, the deva would not know where his attack was coming from. The disadvantages were that Vajiramon was a higher level than either of them, and that he was now unpredictable, he would be launching his attacks fast and over a wide area.

Vajiramon growled at the smoke and narrowed his eyes, it was a clever plan he realized, and it put him at a disadvantage, but he was still far stronger than them, this was only a mild inconvenience.

"**Treasure Sword!" **with that Vajiramon began to repeatedly swing his twin blades launching attack after attack in all directions, he could keep this going for hours and he only needed one good strike to finish them off.

The humans watched as a firefight began between the digimon, blazing green bullets and flaming lion heads shot into the smog with deadly accuracy only a few missing as the deva kept moving, and a maelstrom of energy blades spinning out of the smoke in an almost kamikaze like manner.

They had the advantage, and but for a lucky strike Vajiramon would have died within a few more minuets, but it is never that easy.

"**Terra Blade!" **

Leomon saw the attack and canceled out the flames licking at his fist to dodge, but was already too late. He narrowly missed a direct shot but the glancing blow left a terrible wound across his side while the remainder of the attack slicked through the suspensions.

The wounded Digimon hit the concrete ground hard and let out a pained roar as several tons on steal beams pinned him down. Vajiramon gave a sadistic grin, the sound had given him a target now, he knew where one of them was.

Jeri was a kind girl, her nature was to help the people close to her, and she could not let her precious people die "Leomon!" Henry tried to grab her as she bolted from her spot and ran to the lion, and then time seemed to slow.

Henry jumped to follow and aid the girl, calling for her to come back as she ran toward her own death…

The maddened deva turned his head when her cry`s reached his ears and caught a glimpse of movement in the black smog…

Gargomon was momentarily startled and gaped at them as they moved toward their fallen comrade. He shook himself and let out a volley of teal lasers at the enemy as he leapt forward, knowing in his gut that he was already too late…

Jeri reached Leomon with a pained look on her face and futilely pulled at the beams that weighed ten times more than she ever would, seeing no other option Henry joined hoping that they would survive this…

Vajiramon ignored the bullets colliding with his hide as he brought his sword up in the trademark X formation, his eyes filled with vengeance for his brother and bloodlust as he thought of taking out three of his four murderers…

Gargomon saw the energy charging into the blades and tried desperately to force more speed into his heavy body _"Faster, faster, faster, faster, FASTER…!!!" _sparks danced on his hide, his data fluctuating, and his wish for speed was granted as more power flooded from his core…

_**MATRIX - D-I-G-I-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N**_

Jeri strained with the steal, her eyes connected with leomon`s and something passed between them as a small orb of brightly glowing data formed in her hand…

_**GARGOMON MATRIX DIGIVOLVE TO...**_

Jeri clutched at her orange and white D-ark in amazement, completely missing everything behind her. Henry had turned as soon as his own arc flickered to life and saw the flash of light, but nothing more…

All this happened in the space of a moment, Gargomon`s evolution happened quicker than the eye could see, before he even realized what had happened he had reached his ultimate level, he was a 5`9 green armored cyborg hare, his Gatling guns replaced by missile launchers and a third on his back filled with smaller, faster explosives.

_**...RAPIDMON!"**_

Vajiramons attack collided with him but he hardly felt it, in a nanosecond he had prepared his counter and was calling out his attacks name giving his opponent no time to prepare.

"**Rapid Fire!"**

In a moment every last one of his many missiles had been fired with perfect accuracy, each hitting its mark in the gaps of Vajiramons armor, blasting the red plating to mere sparkles of data in the air, as well as causing considerable damage and knocking their attacker off his feet to boot.

Time returned to normal as rapidmon turned to them and smiled, or at least… it seemed he had smiled by the way his eyes closed and curved into upside down U`s "Are you guy`s Ok?" Henry nodded, grinning happily at his partner "Yea, I'm fine… Rapidmon?"

Rapidmon nodded "That's me!" her the turned to Jeri and leomon, and gasped in surprise, Henry turned to look too and saw Jeri gaping at a white D-ark with an orange ring and buttons.

"Wow…" Rapidmon said in a surprised tone "Didn't see that comin!" Henry nodded in agreement before realizing that leomon, who was just as preoccupied with the new D-ark as Jeri, was still trapped under the steel.

"Rapidmon, could you…?" Henry motioned toward the beams. Rapidmon nodded "Sure…" Henry moved the still stunned Jeri out of the way while Rapidmon took hold of the one of the beams "Hey Kitty-cat, give me a hand her my forte is speed not muscle" Leomon nodded and together they managed to move enough of the steel for leomon to get to his feet, he stumbled slightly and Jeri ran forward to support him "Its ok leomon, I got you"

Leomon smiled warmly at the girl "Thank you…"

Just then the group heard Vajiramons growl and saw him rise to his feet. The smoke was clearing now as the fire began to die down and the wind changed direction. Rapidmon prepared to fight as he said "Hey Henry, new plan, pronto"

Henry quickly weighed their options and said "Leomon can you still use your attack?" The Digimon nodded in acknowledgement "Good, then Rapidmon, use your new speed to keep him busy, leomon, you use your attack and back him into a corner so Rapidmon can finish him off"

Leomon and Rapidmon nodded and moved into position while Vajiramon raised his brightly glowing swords. Henry and Jeri ran for cover, Henry passing a few useful cards to Jeri for her use.

"**Digi-Modify...Recharge Activate … Speed Activate!**" Jeri swiped the two cards christening her new D-ark. Leomon was instantly healed and dodged the Terra Blade attack easily before launching his own attack at the Deva`s side.

"**Digi-Modify...Power Activate!**"

Vajiramon could no longer hear the voices of the humans, his vision was hazed with red, he took the attacks and countered constantly too occupied with his rage and bloodlust to realize that he was being herded like the animal he appeared to be.

That was until he backed up into a low loader. His head swiveled and he saw the large steal beast the he had caused to slightly run of the road, the cabin hung over the side, its door open where the driver had tried to climb to safety before falling to his doom. The rest of it blocked of his escape, his eyed widened in fear as he realized that this was the end.

"**Tri-Beam!" **

The second deva looked rapidmon straight in the eye as triangular laser approached him, looking death in the face. Rapidmon and the others looked at the cloud of data in relief. Rapidmon chuckled "Yippy-kai-ay mother-fu…"

"RAPIDMON…"

"Jeez… Moumentai,"

Jeri put a hand on arm _"That was… amazing" _she giggled realizing that now the fight was over she missed the adrenalin _"I must be turning into an adrenalin junkie" _

"Jeri…?" The girl looked up into leomon`s eye`s "Um… yes?"

"I suppose we will be working together on this Deva problem now…?" Jeri grinned and nodded, not for a second wondering why she found herself looking forward to those future fights "Hm, I guess we will!" Leomon looked like he might have said more but a look that was a mixture of surprise and discomfort crossed his face as his data sparkled and his form collapsed. Barely a second later a small red and blue doglike creature almost knee high to the girl, a somewhat stunned expression on it`s face.

"I haven't been and Elecmon for years…! It feels… rather confining…" Jeri gaped at her new partner's sudden change but admitted to herself that she was in fact rather pleased, it would be much easier to hide than Leomon.

Rapidmon had also returned to his usual form and place atop Henry's head and was complaining to the boy about not being able to finish the quote from his new favorite movie, Henry for his part was only half listening. He raised his head to look at the sky… and saw something that defiantly struck him as odd.

* * *

**On the suspensions above:**

The blonde looked down on the group with interest, she had seen the entire fight and was sure that the boy would be perfect to fill matsuki`s shoes until he returned "He is good" she spoke with a smile "He may not be the guardian but he will lead the girl and the tamers to come well until his return"

The digimon beside her nodded its head and turned to face her with red eyes "Indeed… but when will we be seeing him? He and the girl will soon need what we must give them…"

The girl agreed "Soon Dobermon, but not now, I must speak to them first" she said, looking down at the group as the digimon returned to their rookie forms. The boy looked up, and saw her and the Canine Digimon standing together on the steal beams.

"And now seems like as good a time as any" she smiled at the boy though he couldn't have seen it at this height.

"Yes Alice" Dobermon agreed as the girl climbed onto his back and he prepared to jump down.

* * *

**The Bridge:**

Alice ad Dobermon landed on the bridge directly in front of the two tamers and their Digimon. Henry and Jeri looked at them curiously, wondering who they were. The two were obviously partners, wild Digimon did not seem to be the kind that offers lifts. The Digimon was canine in form, and on four legs came up to the humans shoulders, it looked particularly vicious with the solid red eyed and spike collar, its paws were slightly larger than normal, and were clawed.

The girl was about their age, give or take a few years; she had startling blue eyes and wore her blond hair in a single braid that reached past her waist. She wore a sleeveless black shirt that showed her stomach and black jeans as well as a black hoodie left open and unzipped with simple black shoes good for running in.

She had a calm expression on her face as she looked Henry in the eye and said three words before leading the way from the bridge.

"we need to talk"

* * *

The carriage was mostly empty except for them and the old man sitting on the other end of the carriage, too far away to hear them. Fortunately Elecmon and Terriermon were able to easily able to masquerade as toys while Dobermon had been allowed on after assurances that he would not cause trouble [he was also part of the reason that their carriage was so empty] After making sure that there really was no way for them to be overheard, Alice turned to look at the well confused individuals sitting across from her.

My name is Alice McCoy, and my friends name is Dobermon, we know your names, and we know what you have done so far, but there are things you need to know, please remember I can only tell you so much…"

The four looked at the odd twosome cautiously, at the least they now knew their names, but they had just followed the two blindly, none of them knew whether they were a threat, everyone they had thought before had been a single Digimon or one of the Deva. These two seemed to be just like them, but there was something… off, about them.

You know by now that Digimon and the digital world are a reality, you also know that the two you recently fought were called "Deva" but to explain this properly I must start at the beginning"

"There are four digital worlds named the southern, eastern, western and northern quadrants, and they are linked by a place known as the "Apex" which is neither a world of its own or a part of any "one" quadrant, it is a part of them all. Only the guardians and the sovereigns have access to the Apex, the guardians because they are the "white blood cells" of the digital realm, and the sovereigns because they are its rulers"

Dobermon took up the story there, looking each of them in the eyes as he continued "The five sovereigns are, Fanglongmon, Azulongmon, Ebonwumon, Bihumon, and Zhuqiaomon, each rules one of the quadrants and in the case of Fanglongmon, the Apex"

"Long ago the four sovereigns who ruled the quadrants had three personal underlings each, they were named, Deva. Each of them did many tasks from carrying messages to other sovereigns to being their champions and guarding their fortresses"

Alice took a small notebook from her pocket along with a well used HB pencil; she quickly sketched a small design on the paper and handed it to the group "This is the symbol of a powerful virus which took a Digimon form and gained followers, mostly virus types. This virus named The Digital Hazard was the cause of a terrible and long lasting war recorded as the wars of the Hazard that took place mostly in the same quadrant. It was during this war that the original deva died"

"Their remaining data was collected by the sovereign of that quadrant, the southern quadrant and your digital world. He filled in the empty spaces in the code to recreate them, hoping for a genuine resurrection as is seen in the other quadrants, unfortunately although they were the same digimon in body mind and soul they lost their memories and were reborn in their youngest stages. Zuquiomon himself raised them and saw to their growth as their father, in a sense they are family"

Once again Dobermon took the baton "You already know they are based on you zodiac, Rat, OX, Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. They are also all at the ultimate level and are very powerful…"

Jeri interrupted "But what are they coming here for and attacking humans?"

Dobermon and Alice lowered their heads and the Digimon continued "There are several reasons, the main being that they want a certain power, or from your eyes perhaps it would be a certain program, it is called "The Light of Digivolution" it normally resides in the main data bank of the Apex, without it digivolution is impossible. But for some unknown reason it was taken from its place and was placed inside a catalyst that we believe is a small digimon, completely inconspicuous"

"The catalyst was sent to this world for protection, presumably by whomever gave it form in the first place and now the Deva hunt it, however, the reason they attack and destroy during their search is simply because Zuquiomon hates humans, not only for the creation of the virus that started the Hazard wars but also for some other event that happened at the very birth of the digital world itself"

They sat in silence for several minuets, each digesting what they had been told, the silence was broken when Henry asked "Where do you come into this, how do you know about the Deva, and why are you telling us this?"

Again another silence before it was broken, this time by Alice "We are telling you because you need to know, We were sent to watch the tamers of your world by our Sovereign, Azulongmon of the eastern quadrant, he knows things, many of which he doesn't tell us, we don't know why but it is important that you tamers are prepared for something, he wants you to be strong not only for your world but for the multitude of others, something is going to happen and you four along with Rika Nonaka and most especially Takato Matsuki will be the solution"

"Why Takato…!?" Jeri asked with a quaver in her voice as she worried for the boy.

Alice shook her head "He must tell you himself… when he understands, until then I am here to help, I cant do much, we are forbidden to become directly involved, I cant fight with you, but I will help you other ways, if you wish" she looked Henry right in the eyes… suddenly the boy saw something in her that made him know she could be trusted, and despite the others still looking wary of the two he smiled and said in a calm voice.

"Alright, we`ll trust you, I guess we really need your help"

After a few moments Jeri and the two digimon nodded in agreement, deciding that Henry was right. Everything was quiet for a while until Terriermon [being Terriermon] decided to put voice to his thoughts "Hey Henry, you missed something" he was grinning like a madman.

"What…?"

"Where is she gonna stay? Your mom would flip if you brought a girl home to stay, and you cant just smuggle her into your room… or can you…?" his voice was laden with implications as he tried to get a rise out of Henry while nearly all of the humans present had a tinge of pink on there cheeks.

"I mean if you did there would be no room for me and I'd have to take the couch and that would leave you on your own with her… in bed… at night… who knows what could ACKKK…!!"

"Terriermon!!!!!" Henry began strangling the dog bunny and shaking him back and forth in a way that oddly reminded onlookers of a certain yellow skinned family drawn by an American named, Matt Gronning.

Alice blushed at the small Digimon`s innuendo _"No way that could happen, I haven't even thought about that kind of stuff yet, I doubt it would be possible for me after what happened anyway… and besides, he`s not my type"_

* * *

**Zandermon: Well there you go the last part of the chapter, I swear I will finnish this story AND continue it several times but for some reason i`m on a slow writing phase so I will not even guess when the next chapter will be [but I have it all planned I promise] … and yes I chanced Alice's appearance slightly, sorry if you don't like it [no flames please]**

**Angewomon: Defiantly not, flames are bad **

**Lady.D: But please leave a review, they make Zander feel Great!**

*******


	11. Samurai Tiger Tail

**Zandermon: Ok, I have an unbelievably long list of excuses [some of them good and some of them pitiful] as to why this took so long, but long story short, the usual, I had writers block, I am fight-scene intolerant, and my imagination wanted to work on the wrong things.**

**Angewomon: LOL**

**Lady.D: Loser…**

**Zandermon: I`M SORRY…!**

**

* * *

**

[Note: the first scene is partially based on something I saw in another story called "Ascension of the kitsune" a Naruto story, but it`s just Jeri`s PJ`s] also once again I had to separate the chapter into two parts so that I coul make this update, so this is chapter 9 part 1

* * *

**Tamers****: Guardian of The hazard [chapter 09 [Part 1]: Samurai Tiger-tail]**

**Sunday 25****th****/01/06: **

**Jeri Kato`s Room: 7:00Am**

Alice opened her eyes in a strange new room and stared at the ceiling for a few moments, she had been given her own futon to sleep on and Jeri had let her stay in her room. Alice looked over at the girl and blinked _"Does she always sleep like that?"_

Jeri had rolled out of her blankets and curled up like a cat, her blankets tangled around her feet. Adding to the strange image were Jeri`s "pajamas" For a top she wore a baby blue colored tee-shirt that had an animated picture of a fish and a orange caption that read 'Got Sushi?'.It was a few sizes too small obvious by the fact that the girls small breasts were pressed tightly against the material. She also wore a small pair of white panties bearing the same caption but with a Chibi kitten on the left cheek.

Alice sweat-dropped _"That's really odd… I guess I'd better wake her up"_ as she stood up wearing a pair of short black boxer`s and an old shirt of Jeri`s that she had borrowed, she said good morning to Dobermon, who was dutifully standing guard on the room with a smile and gently shook the sleeping girl awake.

Jeri jumped up like a startled cat, tripped over the blankets knotted around her legs, and fell crashing back on the hard boards with a startled squeal. Alice stood frozen, a surprised and guilty look on her normally stoic face.

Dobermon chuckled slightly thinking that spending more time with other humans would do some good for his partner.

* * *

**The chamber:**

Takato`s eyes snapped open and his ears were immediately assaulted by the sound rika yelling at him to wake up. He was again back in the chamber; he wondered how long he had spent in his so called "Mindscape" His companions were looking at him with worried expressions; even rika looked scared for him having completely forgotten her resolve to remain neutral to him when he had been dragged into the room in this state.

"Hey… what`s up…?" he smiled halfheartedly, tasting blood in his mouth as he spoke, his gut felt knotted, and his skin burned, what remained of his shirt was streaked with his blood, he winced at what he could see and could only imagine how he looked to the others "Not in the best of shapes am i…"

Rika looked at him, she felt sick, why had they done that to him, his shirt was caked with blood and it had even flowed over his pants and down his arms, through the many tears in shirt she could se burns and scars that looked to have been caused by high voltage electricity and scalpels.

In short Takato had been tortured, she could not understand why, what were these digimon after to use guilmon as bait just to catch Takato and then torture him! She ground her teeth; it was time to get answers. Before she could say anything Gatomon called over to her partner, her concern showing in her voice "Takato… are you alright… what d-did they do to you… and… w-why"

Takato had managed to shake away the haze in his mind and frowned at her question, he would have to tell them now anyway, especially considering what he should now be ale to do… theoretically.

"I… It`s kind of a long story…"

Rika gritted her teeth "Spill it goggle`s…"

Takato nodded and started his story, telling them everything he had learned of the hazards history from the man in his head, how it had been defeated, and how it had come to be in his body, he explained the effect it had on his emotions and finally told them of his so called relative who resided in his mind.

"… So that's it, this mark on mine and guilmons chest shows that we have a piece of the hazard, but this guy told me that guilmon draws it directly from me rather than having any of his own…"

The others gaped at him, guilmon seemed intrigued but a little confused, Gatomon was to stunned to show any other reaction, Rika was looking at him as if he was crazy, but inwardly knew that it made some warped and twisted sense; she had spent the last few days in a world of digital information and the batter part of a few years with a digital fox, if that could happen, why not a half-digital human who was the living incarnation of a computer virus.

Takato decided to wait for them to get over the initial shock before explaining what he had just learned to do and stood in silence for the next half hour until finally his friends finished processing what they had heard.

Finally Takato decided to drop the final bombshell "There`s, one last thing…"

Rika groaned "What, more…? This is freaky enough already you know. So what is it can you soot lasers from your eyes and fly!"

Takato frowned _"Can i…?" _he asked his tenant curiously. _**"No… but you may be able to do other things by manipulating the hazard, but flying is defiantly out"**_

"_What about the lasers?"_

"… _**No"**_

Takato shook his head "Nope, no lasers or flying but the guy in my head just taught me how to do this…" He closed his eyes and went through the practices he had gone through with his new "mentor" then began the control exercise and finally expelled the corrupt data from his body formed a thick coating of the red mass over his arms.

The three digimon could sense the now active power and felt a wild untamed malevolence from it, Renamon and Gatomon shrank back, closing their eyes, guilmon was fascinated he could only feel a shadow of what his tamer was feeling, but it was great, a few red sparks danced over the mark on his chest.

Takato began straining on the chains with the strength that was amplified by the virus; the chains pulled taught and were heard to be creaking. As Takato strained harder the red data began to burn through the chains like acid through rubber.

The legendary black chains squealed once more in protest before shattering, the shards flying across the chamber coated in the fading remnants of the power. A few shards almost pierced the others but said energy obliterated such shards before they could do any damage.

Rika gaped at the boy in shock, realizing the strength his must have when using the virus _"Note to self; think twice before beating him up again"_

Takato smiled at his companions, stretching his muscles "Alright, Lets get outa here!"

* * *

**Hypnos: Mitsuo Yamaki`s Office: 10:00Am **

Yamaki refrained from flicking his Zippo lighter in the presence of his superiors; it was a nervous habit that had begun when his late father had left his favorite lighter, the one that had been the co conspirator in his untimely death. The fourteen year old yamaki had kept the lighter with him all the despite his hatred for cigarettes, instead flicking open the Zippo had become his addiction, and the one sign that he was stressed, something he could not afford to show to the stupid yet high ranking men who controlled his budget.

Each of the four officials was represented on the screen by still images, each personally chosen by the one talking.

"_Will this affect the human populace in __**any**__ way?"_ the sill image of a brown coated man in shades was highlighted as he asked the question from his office on the other side of Japan. Yamaki sighed, goddamn politicians and pencil pushers, he had already answered this several times.

"No sir, the Juggernaut affects only Digital life-forms, forcibly pulling their data to the point of activation and erasing it" the three men and the women on screen spent a few minuets making their decision. Yamaki thanked god that the idiot with the golfing image kept his mouth shut.

Finally…

"_Alright yamaki…" _the brown coated man spoke again, he had the final decision as the highest ranking of the five [including yamaki] attending the conference "You have permission to use this "Juggernaut" program, but if this goes wrong you lose our backing so make no mistakes, and if any human life-forms are harmed in **any** way during your little experiment… as far as anyone will know Hypnos is the result of the overstressed mind of some guy in the metropolitan building who went psycho and set of a new kind of bomb… do you understand?"

"Yes sir" yamaki nodded, seemingly un-phased by the threat to his career and future "I understand, the utmost care will be taken I assure you"

"It had better…"

The screen went black and yamaki thankfully released the tension on his Zippo, walking out of the room to prepare the program.

**

* * *

The citadel**

Growlmon and Kyuubimon carried the small group on their backs as they barraged through the halls of the citadel. Takato held Gatomon in his arms as he held tightly onto growlmon with his knees; they were almost out having faced only a few Bakumon.

Having absolutely no idea which way they had been brought after their capture, they had voted on simply moving as the crow fly`s, with growlmon blasting annoying things such as walls and enemies out of the way. Rika frowned as she crouched low on Kyuubimon`s back, they had received almost no resistance, and frankly that was worrying her.

Someone should have tried to stop them, but it had been almost as if they didn't care, the few Bakumon they had seen had put up no fight, just allowing themselves to be deleted…

A resounding crack followed by an explosion echoed in her ears as growlmon tore down another wall, Kyuubimon nimbly following him through. A long distance away, rika could hear sections of roof collapsing where they had destroyed walls and pillars supporting them. Rika snorted, she hoped the whole goddamn citadel collapsed.

**

* * *

Outside**

A small group of five bakumon hovered by the wall that seemed the most likely exit for the humans they had sent another to get reinforcements.

They were beginning to panic…

A dark shadow fell over them, and they whipped around, fear on their face`s as a voce said "Obviously you didn't get my message, the humans and their abominable partners… ARE MINE!" and with that, they were obliterated.

**

* * *

With Rika**

Rika watched as Takato dodged falling rubble as Growlmon crashed through another wall, they were almost out; she could feel it. The ominous feeling was still there; meeting so little resistance was not a good thing. Growlmon slammed his full weight against another wall and the dull red-orange light of the dark area`s capitol streamed into the dark caverns of the citadel and the city spread out before them.

The light in the capitol, while still low and barely enough to be called light, emanated from a jagged and terrifying jewel embedded into the roof of the cavern that housed their city, looking directly at it was like watching a sunset, but with all that majestic beauty drained away and replaced with a feeling of painful foreboding.

They immediately noticed that nobody seemed to be there, not a soul in sight, not a civilian or a guard. Rika gulped…

"**Phantom**_** Pain**_**…" **a bewitching mist of darkness fell around them obscuring their view of practically everything. The encroaching darkness filled their fields of vision moving like a mist determined to bury them forever. Gatomon groaned, she felt nauseas, as if she had swallowed a handful of maggots.

Kyuubimon and Growlmon felt the same; it was all they could do to not throw up. Rika looked at Kyuubimon in confusion, then to Gatomon and Growlmon, and finally to Takato. He looked just as ready to hurl as the digimon, she supposed that whatever was happening only effected people made [at least in part] of data.

The darkness thickened and digimon fell to their knee`s, Takato rolled off of Growlmon`s and curled up on the floor, he looked terrible, he was sweating bullets and shaking profusely. Rika ground her teeth "What the heck is going on! Who`s doing this!" she yelled angrily looking about for the attacker.

A soft laugh echoed around them, recognizable to all. Takato managed to grind out "L… Lillith, mon…!"

The shadows parted to allow their mistress through "You didn't think I would let you go did you…" she sneered "Guardian of the Hazard… that's how the texts refer to it`s container, a rather pretentious title don't you think?" she looked questioningly at rika "Doesn't he look pitiful groveling their…? He couldn't guard so much as a dog`s kennel…"

Rika frowned feeling more than angry at arrogant Mega "Can it lady, nobody insults the gogglehead like that but me, now what the heck are you doing to them!" She gestured angrily at Takato and the groaning digimon, she had gotten off of Kyuubimon`s back as soon as she had fallen, she was now crouched beside her partners head, a protective hand on her neck.

Lillithmon sneered "Phantom pain; I create a mist of darkness that curses my opponents, incapacitating, and draining their energy…" rika frowned, of course it was one of her attacks, what else. She mentally kicked herself, checking her with the D-ark should have been the first thing she did, not yelling at her.

She reached into her pocked to grab it for the scan when she was interrupted by Lillithmon "I`ll save you the trouble little girl, you already know my name, you should be able to guess that I'm a mega and if I wasn't a virus type I probably wouldn't be a demon lord would I. As for my attacks for all the good it`ll do you, they`re called, Phantom pain, Nazar nail, and Darkness love… but none of that will help you a bit…"

**

* * *

Henry's room**

Henry, Jeri, Alice, and their partners sat around henries room, most sitting on the bed though Dobermon and Elecmon had opted for the not so crowded floor. Terriermon was standing on the windowsill looking at the glass and making faces at his reflection.

Alice had run through the list of deva's she knew, telling them what was know about them. Most of her information had come from the sovereigns themselves [Zuquiomon excluded of course] what little information she had would defiantly help, especially knowing the order in which they would come.

From their spy`s the guardians had decided that Zuquiomon intended to mock the humans by sending his deva`s in the order of the Chinese calendar and zodiac, so far they had had rat and Ox, so next they could expect the tiger.

"Mihiramon`s attacks mostly rely on his tail, he hits out with it with lightning fast accuracy…" Alice told them clasping her fingers together and running her thumb over the palm of her opposing hand "But other than that there isn't much I can tell you, but don't underestimate the strength of his attacks, just because he only uses his tail doesn't mean he`s a pushover, he`s taken out champions and even a few ultimate's with only a single attack"

Henry licked his dry lips, well, I guess on the bright side there`s only ten left, but from what you`ve said there gonna keep getting stronger with each one…" Jeri nodded "You`re right, we`re in trouble, it couldn't get much worse"

Terriermon jumped off the windowsill and conked her upside the head with his hears, she yelped in surprise and jumped to her feet "What was that for…?" she asked rubbing her head. Terriermon waved his arms in the air and practically yelled at her "Dummy, don't you know that whenever someone says that things get worse!" Jeri blushed and looked down at the floor "Sorry…"

Just then Terriermon's ears went rigid, a shiver flowing along them as an uncomfortable expression passed over his face; the other digimon were having similar reactions. Terriermon hopped back on to the windowsill and after one look at the greed vortex in the sky said "What did I tell you, ya say that and things get worse"

**

* * *

Outside the citadel**

"**Foxtail Inferno!" **Lillithmon blinked and evaded the attack with relative ease, though it did cause her to release the phantom pain. The mist receded and the effected digimon felt a little better. Kyuubimon, who had been forced to use her attack while under its effect, dry-retching, unable to throw up having nothing in her stomach, her mind went hazy and she fainted, reverting back to her rookie stage.

Lillithmon rose an eyebrow "What was the point of that?" she asked the unconscious digimon and her partner, seemingly forgetting the implications of her letting the attack down "Where has it got you?" she raised her semi decayed right arm and the golden nails dripped a dirty yellow liquid made a deadly hissing sound as it his the earth, small craters appearing where it hit "Now, I'm going to kill you, and your cute little fox" she stepped forward, raising the deadly claws and…

"**Pyro Blaster!" **a torrent of fire hit her, sending her tumbling down the slope hitting rocks on the way down, were the human or a lesser digimon she may have died, but she was a mega, and a demon lord. Takato stood groggily to his feet; retching a little himself. Growlmon stood behind him, living up to his name. Gatomon stood at his side, trying to help him sand [though her stature made it practically impossible]

Takato nodded to the cat digimon, showing he was fine. He gave rika a half smile rubbing his sore head, rika found herself glad that he was alright.

Lilithmon stood up and glared at he boy, angry at herself for forgetting him "A mistake I won't make again" she growled under her breath, scratching a little dirt off her intricate silver mask "Hm, so, hazard boy wants to play does he, lets se what you`ve got human!"

The mega bolted forward, the Nazar nail raised. Takato reached calmly into his pocket for the D-ark, holding it tightly in his hand "Here`s what I got" he growled, as his fist exploded with Hazard energy.

_**MATRIX -D-I-G-I-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N**_

_**GROWLMON MATRIX DIGIVOLVE TO...**_

Growlmon was instantly coated in thick hazard energy, his form shattered, his core sitting right in the middle of a burning maelstrom of data. Takato closed his eyes seeing the form growlmon would take in his minds eye "Perfect…" the hazard was moulded into a new shape, similar to growlmon, but several times larger. The normal data whirled around it forming itself into an armoured chest piece and helmet. His tail grew and large clawed gauntlets appeared on his draconic arms. His new form completed, growlmon let out a shockwave of excess data and burning hazard that knocked a terrified lillithmon back several paces.

_**...WARGROWLMON!"**_

The monstrous cyborg dragon towered above all of them, several story`s tall a semi feral look on his face as he glared at the demon woman. Lillithmon quaked, frozen where she stood.

"_Shit…!"_

**

* * *

Hypnos: 10:35Am**

"Sir, an anomaly has entered the system! It's overloading the circuits!" Riley yelped as her keypad sparked, burning her hand. "Juggernaut is collapsing!" Talley reported. Yamaki swore running to a consol himself to fix the problem only to meet with the same electrical surge as Riley.

"Get this system repaired! I want these creatures gone!"

Talley`s widened "Sir something`s coming through!" Riley nodded in confirmation tentatively continuing her work on the keypad trying to ignore it`s threatening hum "It`s using the juggernaut!" Yamaki swore again at that, using his own technology, how many times would they humiliate him?

On the roof a pillar of white light preceded the electrically charged mist that seeped over the entire. A four legged form materialized in the mist, growling ferociously as it waited for its form to be fully realized in the world of flesh and blood.

"It's a high level wild one sir, much stronger than the previous two!"

Yamaki slammed his fist on a steel girder "Order a military strike! I don't care about possible damage and I want no arguments, do it!"

"Y-yes sir!" Riley stammered, hurrying to carry out the task.

**

* * *

10 minuets later: Military Chopper: ETA to Hypnos: 3 minuets 15 Seconds **

Lieutenant Toshiro of the Japanese air force maneuvered the chopper like an expert. The machine was loaded with high tech weaponry, laser guided missiles, flamethrowers, 50calibre machine guns, the whole nine yards, beside him his co-pilot looked as exited as a kid at Christmas to be on this mission, Toshiro shook his head; the kid was too green.

In the back three soldiers armed to the teeth in automated weaponry sat waiting for arrival, each ready to kick some digital ass.

Toshiro remained cool, and collected, as he flicked a small amber switch, priming the copters weapon systems.

Mihiramon moved like a hunter stalking its prey, pacing back and forth on the roof of the human building, impatiently waiting until the moment his full strength returned. He would start with this building, the source of most of their problems, and then he would be rid of the rest of this city, and return victorious with the catalyst.

His train of thought was broken by the steady thrumming of one of the humans flying machines, Mihiramon grinned; this would be his first example to their disgusting race.

As the chopper advanced its occupants made last minuet checks to their weapons. The craft came up alongside the building tuning at an angle baring its side to the creature. The side opened revealing the three hard, experienced men to the enemy.

"FIRE!" the lead man cried, and all hell broke lose.

Yamaki could hear the gunshots on the roof despite the visual feed from the roof having no audio; he smirked when he saw the many bullets, bursts of flame, and SAM missiles strike the target, obscuring it in a cloud of smoke and flame.

His employee`s breathed a sigh of relief, some collapsing against the equipment and others welcomed the chance to pass out though the majority remained conscious. The sound of weaponry continued the bullets and explosions striping away layers of the buildings concrete roof.

On the screen the lead soldier raised a hand to signal ceasefire and the three stood back to admire their work… before the leader was decapitated by an armored tiger tail.

The two subordinates gasped in horror taking a step back before the second man was pierced in the chest. He gurgled as his lungs filled with his own blood and his destroyed heart followed the tail out of the hole in his chest. The last man sent a panicked barrage of weaponry into the dust cloud before the same bloodstained tail wrapped around his legs pulling him out of the craft an out of sight.

Toshiro gaped, his skin a ghostly pallor as the sounds of the mans tortured screams reached the cabin and as he watched a wave of blood erupted from the dust cloud coating the glass of the cabin, the co-pilot hurled into his own lap, unused to such a sight.

The next sound the men heard was the wrenching of steel as the spinning blades that kept them in the air were torn to pieces.

The remaining employees barring riley and Talley had joined their co-workers unconsciousness most having released their meals first as well. Though the remaining three ware only just refraining from spilling their own guts, Yamaki, while cold and seemingly heartless, was not a military man, just a government programmer when you got right down too it, he was just as sickened and disturbed as his two female employees.

The three had to shield their ears from the earsplitting sound of the explosion as the helicopter detonated on the side of the building, knocking the three over. Yamaki was the first back on his feet, a terrible ringing in his ears.

He swore, slamming his fist on a control panel "DAMN IT!"

**

* * *

11:10Am**

Henry, Alice, Jeri, Terriermon, Dobermon and Elecmon arrived at the base of the Metropolitan building just as the chopper hit the side and detonated; the shockwave knocked the humans off their feet and caused them to cover their ears from the painful ringing.

In a flash of orange light Elecmon returned to his champion form, just in time to grab his tamer and move her out of the path of the flaming debris from the chopper. The group stayed down for several moments avoiding the debris. Leomon was the first to his feet once he was sure the flaming remnants of the aircraft had all hit the ground.

When everyone was once again on their own two [or four] feet they all looked up at the damaged building. A scar blemished the side, a scar of broken windows, torn concrete, and dented iron. Several small fires had sparked up randomly along the scar, like a string of Christmas lights.

From the auburn glow of the largest fire, just on the side of the roof, the group could see the dark silhouette of a large winged tiger "Mihiramon…" Alice whispered "He`s here… Henry, we`re going to need Rapidmon to take leomon up to the roof, the rest of us will stay here, remember, Dobermon and I can't help in this fight so it`s just you four."

Mihiramon felt the power of digivolution down below and snarled _"So the treacherous digimon in this world get to digivolve when the pure digimon in the homeland are left powerless…! I swear to rend their data and take the catalyst home, returning the light to the place it is __**supposed **__to be…! Come humans, come traitorous scum, come, and die!"_

**

* * *

Hypnos Tower: 11:13Am**

Rapidmon landed on the corner of the building panting for breath, the reason being the extremely heavy anthromorphic lion using him as a means of transportation. Said lion let go of him and dropped onto the roof of the building immediately after landing, sending an apologetic look at the cyborg Dog-bunny.

Rapidmon simply nodded, being too out of breath to make one of his witty remarks.

Down below Alice had taken the two tamers D-powers and begun tampering with their code, entering lines of binary information into the devices as she worked. Henry watched with interest, seeming o understand what she was doing while Jeri had to rub her head as it started to throb from trying to make sense of the numbers.

The two devices gave a short beeping sound in confirmation as a new holographic screen that neither tamers had seen before appeared above the devices. Alice handed both D-powers back to their respective owners and said "I`m afraid that is all I can do to help you, the rest is up to you…"

Henry and Alice examined the screens curiously.

"Is that what I think it is…?" Jeri asked looking questioningly at the computer whizzes before her [like an alien race in her mind] Henry nodded, as if he had known what was coming "This is what our partners are seeing right now"

Back on the roof Leomon heard a faint voice in the back of his mind _"Is that what I think it is…?"_ And an even fainter voice responded, though he didn't hear what it said "Jeri…?" he asked. The girl yelped in surprise _"L-_leo_mon is, _is_ that _you" her voice was getting a little clearer, looking at rapidmon he saw that the cyborg was having a similar experience "yes it is, what is happening Jeri?"

"I`m not sure, Alice said she was going to improve our digivice's and now this" the girl could have been right there with him "interesting… this will most defiantly be useful…" he could feel her agreement without her saying anything.

The conversation was interrupted when both rapidmon and Leomon had too dodge a segmented tiger tail, aimed precisely to remove their heads, the startled gasps of their human partner`s echoed in their minds and moments later their enemy`s voice rang out.

"So, those pathetic and cowardly humans send the enslaved traitors to fight while they remain safe below…? ha!" his voice had the same low growl behind each word that leomon's had, his tone was deep and held scorn and distaste for the very air it breathed.

The two digimon turned to face their opponent's direction, preparing to fight. Leomon growled at the digimons word`s, his comment testing the patience that leomon were famed for. As the Deva advanced the thic mist began to fade slightly, giving them a clear view of their enemy.

As Alice had said the Deva took the form of a tiger, whose yellow fur was striped with black, a red kerchief was tied around its thick neck and the lower halves of its legs were covered by the same purple armor that protected its shoulders and hind-biceps. Its final distinguishing feature was the two black striped yellow wings on its back, attached firmly to the shoulders.

Mihiramon sneered at them deliberately baring his teeth "come traitors, either fight me or drop to your knees and beg forgiveness, I'm sure if put in a good word for you ,my master would let you live, especially if you slaughter you`re pathetic captors for him…" he gave a snarling laugh "Which will it be vermin!"

Leomon snarled and slowly drew his sword while Rapidmon armed his weapons and raised his left cannon "Have a guess Kitty-cat! **Rapid Fire!" **the missile connected with the deva`s face and detonated creating a miniature smoke screen. Rapidmon flickered out of existence as Henry told him to find a better vantage point while leomon stood his ground, ready to keep the enemy busy while his comrade fired pot-shots.

Mihiramon exited the smokescreen with nothing more than slightly singed fur on his cheek, the first thing he saw was leomon standing his ground, sword in one hand while the other burned with orange flames as it was aimed at his chest. Mihiramon growled "So you have made your decision, fine; then DIE!" just as his tail lashed out another missile hit him in the side diverting his attention to his fellow ultimate as he sent his armored tail after the cyborg.

Leomon released his attack [the flaming lion-head only grazing the Deva`s shoulder pad] as he moved from his position to attach the tigers unprotected side with his blade. Mihiramon`s tail had done nothing to Rapidmon, the cyborg simply flickering to another spot, annoyed the Deva turned back to his original target, just in time to deflect his attack and bat the humanoid lion away with his armored paws.

"Hm… if you think dividing my attention is the way to win you are mistaken, you are simply not strong enough "

The armored tiger spread his wings and took to the sky`s, startling Rapidmon who had stopped right in his path. Back on the ground Henry watched through Rapidmon`s eyes as the green cyborg took up position next to leomon the two almost back to back as the Deva began to circle around. Mihiramon circled slowly several times before darting in and lashing his tail at Rapidmon, taking the digimon by surprise.

"**Samurai Tiger-tail!" **

Rapidmon was lashed viciously across the chest, the force of the attack splitting his chest armor, and sending the wide eyed digimon into the concrete. Henry flinched as he grasped his chest, a pang of phantom pain striking his body _"Damn, Rapidmon`s hurt!"_ at the moment too concerned for his partner to ponder why he too had felt the pain.

Mihiramon circled round again as Rapidmon struggled to his feet. Leomon raised his sword in a defensive position knowing that against the Deva`s armored tail it would be useless.

"**Armored Tiger-tail!" **

The steel tipped tail struck its target, breaking leomon`s sword and gouging a bloody gash in the lions chest. Leomon cried out and collapsed to the ground…

Jeri clutched her chest letting out a piercing scream. Henry and Alice rushed to the girl and caught her as she fell, Jeri looked up at them, her scream turned silent as her lungs ran out of air; she blacked out…

* * *

"_Leomon…"Jeri`s voice whispered. The lion opened is eyes when he heard his name called. He was lying on the ground, bleeding from his chest, but he wasn't, the ground was no longer there, just an empty grey space, moving silently like the mist._

_Jeri lay beside him, an identical wound across her chest "Leomon… are you ok?" He nodded, trying to sit up but the deadly wound burned like fire causing them both to scream._

_Leomon lay back down, the pain subsided a little; he noticed that Jeri was crying. Jeri felt his furry paw wipe away the tears and looked up at him, he smiled. "Don't cry Jeri… we`ll be fine… I'll protect you…"_

"_Leomon…"_

"…"

_**

* * *

MATRIX -D-I-G-I-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N**_

_**LEOMON MATRIX DIGIVOLVE TO...**_

A the chrysalis of orange light surrounded him leomon felt his external data being stripped away from his body as his form grew to almost twice it`s previous height. Slowly his image reassembled over his core, his new fur a much darker colour than his old, his already long mane grew longer and wilder, as his cloths were replaced by dark grey armour designed for freedom of movement. As leomon moved thrusting his fists out a small cyclone of wind surrounded each of his limbs like a protective but cutting shield…

_**...GRAPLEOMON!"**_

**

* * *

Zandermon: well there you go, and a cliffhanger too. DON'T HATE ME!**

**Angewomon: They wont hate you, why would they, you couldn't help it!**

**Lady.D: Don't talk such **** we all hate you Zander, you are; A Retard!**

**Zandermon: [_Runs off to cry_****]**


	12. Nazar Nail

**Zandermon: OK, still not the full chapter but there are three scenes left to do [including this one] so I will first put them up one at a time and when finished i`ll add them to the end of samurai tiger tail**

**Tamers****: Guardian of The hazard [chapter 09 [Part 2]: Nazar Nail]**

**Digital world: Dark area: Outside the citadel **

* * *

Lillithmon was on the run, Mega she may be, but her powers were not suited for brute force battles. Twisting in the air the devil woman barely missed another radiation blade aimed to cut her in two. The arrogant hazard child had leapt from his digimon`s head and punched her in the face, while causing no physical damage baring a split lip the strike to her person just pissed her off.

"**Phantom pain!"** the boy was struck with a small cloud of the shadowy smoke. He hit the ground hard and curled into a fetal position, grunting in pain but still sending her a defiant look. Lillithmon dodged another of WarGrowlmon's attacks as she came down on Takato for the kill.

She drew back her clawed arm, the acidic liquid blowing in the wind burning her own clothing and skin **"Nazar Nail!"** Gatomon, having been clinging to her tamers back for this moment, jumped onto the boys head as her eyes literally flashed **"Cats Eye!" **Lillithmon froze in midair and the phantom pain dropped allowing Takato to strike her again, this time with a hazard charged arm. This time his punch dislocated her jaw, bruised her face, and sent her careering back several feet.

"**Radiation Blade!"** the attack struck lillithmon but only just, managing to sever her arm, unfortunately not the one baring the Nazar Nail. She screamed and jumped back, coughing up blood.

"… _**Bastards!"**_ she screamed after pushing her jaw back into place, clutching her bleeding stump and breathing hard. Both WarGrowlmon and Gatomon regrouped behind their tamer, both ready for more, out of the corner of his eye Takato saw that rika`s vulpine partner was beginning to stir _"I`m glad she`s alright, looks like we wont need her though" _He said to his tenant_**"Don't be so arrogant…"**_he responded, just as lillithmon appeared in front of WarGrowlmon, her hand over her mouth.

"**Darkness Love!" **and surprisingly she simple blew the reptilian cyborg a kiss as her eyes flashed red. WarGrowlmon stood rigid, his body shaking.

"WarGrowlmon!" Takato called out to his partner "What's wrong!" Lillithmon chuckled "Oh, nothing, he`s just temporarily infatuated with me… just long enough for me, to do this! **Nazar Nail!" **the clawed and dripping hand was shoved through the exposed area of chest between the armor plates causing the digimon to scream.

"WARGROWLMON!" both Takato and Gatomon yelled, Takato suddenly feeling an unbearable pain in his own chest; rika too looked horrified. The hand was ripped out of their friend's chest, the hole spewing crimson blood and yellow mechanical fluids as the digimon collapsed, the ground shaking. Takato and Gatomon both rushed to help their partner, Takato stumbling as he ran, the pain beginning to get to him.

Lillithmon sneered down at them "What is that phrase human's use… oh yes! The bigger they are the harder they fall" She began giggling at the stomach churning sound of the flesh, bone, and steel of WarGrowlmon's body being burned away by the acid in his veins and artery`s.

She rose her remaining hand, summoning her bakemon and phantomon minions to conduct the finishing blows on the two humans and their partners.

Rika tightened her grip on her partner, pulling the vixen closer in her arms "Renamon… Renamon please wake up" she whispered "Renamon…!" the fox stirred, letting out a pained groan "Renamon!" her eyes snapped open and she sat up like a bullet only to drop back down from the residual pain "Agh…" she grunted "It… hurts…" rika nodded hugging her partner "I know, I'm sorry, I know your hurt, but please, the others need you!"

Renamon looked towards the others, her eyes wide "Is that… guilmon?" Rika nodded "Yes, she got him with her Nazar nail" renamons eyes widened more as she recognized the scent of burning flesh in the air "Damn…" she struggled to her feet and began stepping forward slowly while rika swiped a few cards that she hoped would speed up her partners recovery.

Lillithmon noticed them and halted their attack to mock the two "Ha! And what do you think you can do; a downed rookie and a pathetic human girl? You want to help your friends…? Then let us make their deaths quick"

Rika clenched her fist and swiped her final card [a digivolution card] through the slot "Digivolution activate!"

Within seconds Renamon had been replaced by Kyuubimon and, as she leapt over her fallen comrades, took down several of the bakemon with her foxtail inferno as she made her way to the target, lillithmon. The demon lady laughed and swatted her away like a fly, the nine tailed fox hitting the ground and beginning to roll, stopping just short of hitting her own partner.

Rika ground her teeth, as did her partner as she stood to her feet. "We, we wont let you hurt…" rika ground out, trying to get past her pride "We won't let you hurt…!" she closed her eyed and clutched the digivice harder as it began to glow.

"OUR FRIENDS!" The two females screamed out as rika`s eyes snapped open, rage lacing their words.

_**MATRIX -D-I-G-I-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N**_

_**KYUUBIMON MATRIX DIGIVOLVE TO...**_

Catching fire as she did using the Dragon wheel, Kyuubimon spun in the air, wrapping her nine tails around herself becoming a burning ball of data which soon spiralled around her core. As the air shimmered around her an illusionary image of the moon overlapped the digivolution as the data once again took a more human form. With a bright flash of light her image loaded over the form, that of an eight foot fox woman, now much more masculine than Renamon, and with an extra burst of information and energy from the core, she was garbed in Taoist robes.

Now armed with her weapon, a six foot writing brush of polished wood, the Kitsune of Yin and Yang called out her name…

_**...TAOMON!"**_

The first thing she dig was to paint a kanji of light in the air, the symbol blasting a ray of light at the demon woman **"Talisman of Light!" **the fox woman called, the attack burning the Mega, the resulting explosion sending her back further that even Takato's hazard empowered punch and obliterating a good number of the bakemon while the rest stood… floated stunned.

Hurrying over to the injured cyborg like a digital Joan of ark. She placed a hand on the wound, whispering a chant; when she took away her hand, the kanji for healing was etched into his body, glowing with an ethereal light. The burning sound was now that of the acid being purged from his system as the wound healed. Turning back to the wounded Mega who was dragging herself out of her own crater, Taomon prepared to fight and protect her friends while she waited for the cyborg to be revived.

"Come get it bitch" she growled, raising her brush. Lillithmon spat out blood, and charged.

"**Talisman Spell!"** a hundred red papers flew from her sleeves like flock of birds, attaching themselves to the enemy firmly. Beginning to claw at them lillithmon managed to rip one off before the whole lot exploded.

A few moments later, a badly burned lillithmon staggered out of the smoke, her cloths in tatters. Taomon rushed forward, brush poised to knock the annoying demons block off; she swept the weapon down, only for it to pass through an after image.

"What…! Agh!" she was struck in the back when the disheveled Mega rammed her; Taomon looked up to find the woman standing over her **"Nazar Nail!" **she screeched, bringing the arm down. Wham! She was batted out of the way by a certain cyborg armored fist, traveling at the speed of a small car. Takato was beside her helping her up and rika wasted no time in coming to aid her either.

The odd group, winded but still going strong, turned to stare down their practically defeated enemy "Lillithmon…" Rika hissed, restraining herself from beating whatever crap remained out of the digimon. Picking up where she left off, Takato growled "You're done now, normally I'm not violent, but I've been getting angry real easy lately, and you`ve made me angry… WarGrowlmon!"

The cyborg nodded charging his cannons while Taomon drew not one but two large kanji in the air. Standing up to defend herself lillithmon made the mistake of looking into Gatomon`s eyes. **"Cat`s Eye!" ** the cat sneered, happy to hold the demon down while her comrades took care of the rest.

"**Atomic Blaster!"**

"**Talisman of Light!" **

A powerful beam of red energy fired side by side with two blasts of pure destructive light. Unable to defend herself, lillithmon could only scream as her data was burned away, spreading over the area. Gatomon felt a little odd as soon as the eye contact was broken, something was wrong.

But when the attack died down what was clearly the Mega`s data was dispersed over a wide area, thick as smog from an oil factory. Takato breathed a sigh of relief as the two ultimate's returned to their rookie forms and began the task of loading the vast data. He noticed that Gatomon was not even interested, as if preoccupied with something.

"Gatomon…? What's wrong?" he asked. The two digimon left the data, turning to look at their friend with worry, Rika too. "There's… something wrong… when the attacks broke my eye contact she moved, she was obviously struck by the attack and deleted but I was _sure_ I felt her get away…"

Renamon`s eyes widened "You might have done… I heard that some digimon can escape deletion be letting whatever is hurting them strip off a few levels of data and devolving…" Takato ground his teeth as rika spoke "So what your saying is that she got away in her ultimate form?"

Renamon shook her head "No, judging by the amount of data left behind at least rookie… Possibly champion" the others sighed in relief "So no problem then, we can handle her like that?" Takato asked.

"Yea… I'm sure we can" Renamon nodded, scanning the area with her senses "I think I have her… shall I go after her?" she asked rika, who, surprisingly [even for herself] looked to Takato. After a moment he said "Yea, Gatomon, you go too, you two are the fastest, and the more experienced"

The two digimon nodded and sped off.

Takato scratched his chin, feeling he had forgotten something "… Oh yea!" he turned to the remaining bakemon "Your turn!" he said with a sadistic grin. With screams of fear, the sheet-like digimon fled with their metaphorical tails between their legs.

Rika smiled "I didn't know you had it in you"

"Neither did I" Takato laughed "Come on, remember there's still six more demon lords, and lillithmon wasn't the strongest" and with that he jogged off in the direction of the city, the fastest way back to the tunnels they had come through and therefore the surface world.

Rika and guilmon were soon chasing after him, neither in the mood for another fight like that just yet.

* * *

Inside the citadel, Lucemon cried out and punched an unfortunate wall that happened to be there. He and the other four demon lords in the citadel had all felt Lillithmon's apparent death.

"This will not go unpunished" he swore "It will not…!"

**

* * *

Zandermon: also there is a new poll, the old one is closed ad the result is that I will do the important deva battles and show other bits in flashback`s**

**Angewomon: pleeeaaasse vote on the new one [puppy dog eyes]**

**[Both look at lady D]**

**Lady.D: "… what? I`m not doing that!"**

**Both: "…"**

**Lady.D: fine… pleeeaaasse [sickened look]

* * *

**

_**Note: the following added18/june/2010

* * *

**_

**Hypnos**

GrapLeomon stood in the centre of the roof, adjusting to his new form, Mihiramon watched him with sharp eyes as the lion inspected the cutting vortex surrounding his forearms. Rapidmon had regained his footing, flashing over to stand by his comrade.

Mihiramon growled "Do you think that a mere digivolution will help you? We may all be ultimate's now but my power comes from my father the digimon sovereign! Nothing stands against him! **Armored Tiger-tail!"**

The armored tail came in fast, rapidmon was about to speed away with his feline partner but as the tail homed in on it`s targets the humanoid lion stepped forward and stood in front of the cyborg, his left foot behind him as he entered a fighting stance.

"**Lion`s Barricade!"** he thrust his whole body forward along with his left fist, the swirling tornado expanded, It`s gale force winds forming a spinning barrier that halted the tail completely, the sound of the wind roared loudly, like and angered lion.

Rapidmon darted around the shield letting lose a rapid barrage at the stunned tiger`s side. Mihiramon took to the air again circling around the building as he watched the two say something to each other; he strained to hear but missed it.

Rapidmon turned as his eyes began to follow the Deva, his launcher preparing his next rapid fire attack. GrapLeomon however, crouched down as if to jump, tightening each of his muscles like springs.

"**Rapid Fire!"** whatever else he did was missed by Mihiramon`s eyes as he took one of the missiles to the side while dodging the other and circling to the other side of the building before lashing out at Rapidmon's legs, temporarily knocking the cyborg off balance.

It was then that he noticed the others disappearance, he growled placing a paw on the cyborg head and applying pressure "Where is the other one?" he growled clenching his paw so that the claws began to crack the armor plating.

Rapidmon was in too much pain to answer _"Just a few more moments…" _he thought, gritting his teeth behind the armored masks _"Just a few more!"_

A loud roar echoed in their ears as GrapLeomon descended from the sky, the winds now whipping around his leg "**Lion`s Barrage!"** he yelled as he delivered a devastating axe kick to the unsuspecting Deva's neck, a loud crack was heard as the tiger crashed hard into the ground, leaving a deep imprint from the momentum.

Rapidmon rolled out from under the deva, watching it cautiously, knowing that until its data was scattered across the rooftop like sand it was not dead. GrapLeomon stood back; he felt he had sprained his ankle on the deva's tough hide.

Slowly, Mihiramon rose to his feet, his entire body was in agony, his neck in particular, something was stopping him from thinking straight, and his spinal Colum had been damaged just enough to make moving difficult, he had to try three times just to lift his paw.

"_Godramon, no! They've turned my into a damned cripple!"_

He staggered forward, knowing he should retreat but unable to concentrate to open a gate. He bumped into something and hobbled back, before him stood GrapLeomon, a sad look on his face "I apologies…" he said "But we cannot let you return only to be healed and come back once again to hurt our friends" he could sense rapidmon behind him.

"I know you have a loyalty to the sovereign, and you truly believe you are doing the right thing… you are not evil… but you are our enemy…" Mihiramon began shaking "No… please no! don't!" GrapLeomon shook his head "It hurts doesn't it…?" he asked, looking at the former proud Deva pityingly.

The tiger nodded, flinching in pain as he did.

"Then I shall put you out of you misery" Mihiramon clenched his teeth and eyes shut, there was nothing he could do. Taking several steps away from the Deva, GrapLeomon crossed his two wind coated arms in front of him, the twin tornado`s splitting into six individual ring-blades.

"I`ll make it quick… **Blades of the Kamikaze!"** he through his arms out to the side, the six rings leaving him at supersonic speeds, three raveling far to the left, three to the right, before all six turned around, closing in on the deva "Goodbye Mihiramon…"

Mihiramon`s severed head fell to the ground before it and the rest of his body dispersed in a wave of data.

Yamaki and his coworkers stared at the screen, some in awe, others in fear, but all had some form of amazement or surprise. Yamaki was no exception _"These kids and their digimon, they truly are disgusting, and what's worse… their our only real defense…"_

Riley stared at the screen too, her closest friend Talley beside her "What do you think it said to the wild one?" Talley asked as the two digimon left the roof. Riley shook her head "I don't know…"

* * *

Jeri began stirring in her sleep as the others sat around her, they had brought her back to the Wong's apartment for now and lay her on the blue haired boy`s bed. She had been out for over an hour, on her stomach, Elecmon also rested content that she was not hurt.

Alice was perched on the side of the bed, tugging lightly on her braid as the watched the group, Dobermon laid at her feet, seemingly asleep. Alice had just finished explaining how it was that tamers felt their digimon`s physical pain through their bond.

Pain she said was an electrical signal, and thus transmittable, being made of data digimon had much more electricity in their body than organic beings, this made them walking transmitters. The D-ark`s were the receivers, able to show the digimon`s status and position in relevance to you, it was also the metaphorical chain that helped the bond, and was sensitive to its holders energy field.

In short the pain was transmitted to the digivice, and then into the body, the psychological connection helped make it seem more real as it received the emotions. Jeri had passed out from leomon`s pain, having a much lower pain tolerance.

Jeri stirred again letting out a pained moan before sitting up, and rubbing her head "What happened… is leomon ok…?" her vision was blurred. Sitting on her lap, Elecmon used his tail to pat her shoulder "I`m fine Jeri, I digivolved and we defeated him"

The girl`s head snapped up "What…? YOU DIGIVOLVED AND NO ONE WOKE ME UP SO I COULD SEE! WHATDIDYOULOOKLIKE,WEREYOUCOOL,WEREYOUCUTE,IBETYOUWEREAWSOME!"

"…"

After a moment she managed to have the good grace to look embarrassed "… sorry" The others laughed, before beginning to explain the things she had missed.

* * *

Back in the digital world, the two young humans had made their way steadily back to the ledge, looking over the city where they had first been captured by the bakemon. They sat together, Guilmon with his reptilian head on Takato`s lap and rika by his side, waiting for their other partners to return from taking care of their enemy

"Takato…" rika spoke quietly, looking at the dirt between her feet as she hugged her knee`s. he looked up at her curiously "Yea?"

"I… I mean, she scuffed the ground with her toe "I just realized I never thanked you… for telling me the truth about digimon… so that I wouldn't hurt my partner anymore… I`m sorry it took so long but… thank you"

He blinked "Uh… your welcome, I guess" then he grinned "So I guess Ms. Ice-Queen softened up then, YOW!" he ground his teeth in pain, rubbing the sore spot on his arm. Rika laughed "Not by a long-shot goggles" they sat in silence for a while, but the atmosphere was a happy one, they had both fully recognized the other as a friend… albeit in their own ways.

* * *

Renamon and Gatomon chased the younger evolution of lillithmon through the hellish city of the dark area for the better part of an hour and had barely managed to glimpse her, while the power level was far below either of them, her speed outstripped even Renamon. The two of them split up, taking different routs and soon enough cornered her in an alleyway… or so they thought. They arrived there just in time to see her black feline form disappearing over the rooftops, all traces vanishing with her.

Gatomon balled her fist "Damn, lost her…" Renamon nodded serenely "I see, then we should return to Takato and Rika, she`s no longer a threat but there are others her" Gatomon nodded in agreement "Fine, lets go"

* * *

Up on the building, the newly devolved BlackGatomon watched them leave and sighed with relief. Crumpling down in exhaustion, BlackGatomon brought a shaking paw to her face. The one saving grace of losing her power had been regenerating her lost eye and limb, but the three scars remained on her face, permanently burned onto her data memory.

"I swear, I'll get them back for this, those goddamn tamer and the demon lords, they should have come for me when I started losing! I was right on the doorstep!" she growled, smacking the concrete with her paw before biting back a yell at the pain "That shouldn't have hurt… I'm so weak… but I'll get it back, I'll get it all back, and more!"

She jumped up, ready to get started! And her stomach growled. She clutched it in discomfort "But first I need something to eat"

* * *

Takato was dropping off as the two digimon arrived. Rika poked him awake, letting him know they were here "Did you get her?" he asked, though the looks on their faces said it all. They shook their heads "We`re sorry Takato" Gatomon hung her head. Renamon also looked down "We thought we had her but her speed is superior even to mine"

Rika looked shocked "She`s faster than you?" the vixen nodded "Yes, however her power is low. I think Takato could take her with that hazard charged punch of his" nodding, Takato stood and stretched "Ok, I guess we`ll have to leave her then, lets get back to the surface and figure out a way home"

Rika huffed "And who exactly made you leader goggle`s?" He rubbed the back of his head apologetically "Sorry, would you like to be the leader?" before she could answer Renamon stepped forward "I think Takato would be a more sensible choice for leader, you did get us lost before"

"Aren't you supposed to be on my side?"

"…"

She sighed "Fine, Takato`s the leader, now let's just get the hell outa here

**

* * *

Zandermon: I hit an unexpected snag with this one, I was on my laptop at school when I started this bit [I write most of my stuff while at school] and I had no internet connection, to look up the names and descriptions of GrapLeomon's attacks.**

**Angewomon: so you just made them up?**

**Lady.D: what does it matter**

**Zandermon: Well basically… I'm telling you so that you don't get upset over an apparent "Mistake" [lol] all mistakes are deliberate**

**Lady.D: Does that include you?**

**Zandermon: "…"

* * *

**

_**Note: I have decided to leave this as a chapter in its self, chapter 9 part 2: Nazar Nail. As in total its word count reached 3655, my target for minimum chapter length **_


	13. The Eyes of Guilmon

**Tamers: Guardian of The hazard [chapter 10: The eyes of guilmon]**

**Sunday 1****ST**** /02/06: **

**Subway: 9:00Am**

* * *

Hideki Fujita was your average guy, a little lazy and overly fond of noodles but average non-the less. He gazed with a lazy expression out of the window of the subway, bored out of his mind. The only saving grave of driving these things was the view, such as it was.

It was his first shift of the day, and he was halfway down the line to Shinjuku. He sighed at the prospect of another long day.

He knew from memory that the line ahead forked, and he was preparing to take the one he needed when he was distracted by movement further on. He peered closer, and his eyes widened.

"What the F…!"

"HISSSSSSssssssssssss!"

* * *

**Henry`s Apartment: 9:00Am **

Henry had been up early finishing the homework his busy week had deprived him of the time to do. Since defeating Mihiramon a week ago the number of Digimon bio emerging had increased… as had the Deva attacks.

It was still quiet in the house; his father was probably at work already, was everyone else asleep? He poked his head into his sister's room and found her fast asleep, lopmon in her arms. He shook his head at the little digimon, he wasn't sure what to think of her, or even whether to trust her, but she and his sister were inseparable now.

Only a few days after defeating the Ox Deva, Vajramon, the group had found themselves confronted by Majiramon the dragon Deva and Antylamon the Hare Deva. Then, right bang in the middle of the fight, Suzie, who had followed him to the scene of the battle, found herself the target of Majiramon`s attack.

While he had been busy having a heart attack and the Digimon were otherwise occupied, Suzie had found an unlikely ally in Antylamon, who had protected her from the attack and helped destroy her former partner. The moment this was done the Hare Deva had reverted to her rookie state, having had her power drained by her "father" Zhuqiaomon**. **

And now she was Suzie's partner… funny how these things happen

He shook his head again, carrying on towards the kitchen. His mother was already there as it turned out, nibbling on a slice of toast as she watched the news on TV. It had the volume way down and the optional subtitles turned on so as not to wake Suzie.

"Hey mom, good morning" he smiled, joining her at the table and taking a piece of toast from a plate left for him. It was slightly cold but otherwise just how he liked it.

"Good morning Henry…" sounding a little tired. Henry wasn't surprised, she had probably stayed late at the matsuki`s again. He had been surprised though when a day or two after Mihiramon he had found that his mother Mayumi Wong, had in fact gone to the same school as Takato`s mother.

She had been visiting her and her husband almost every day to check up on them.

"How are they…?" He asked, as concerned for them as he was for takato.

She shook her head "No better, they're both worked up to the limit, they have no idea why he may have left, they`ve closed the bakery, and Ms Nonaka isn't helping. She`s somehow convinced herself that the boy and her daughter have run off together, she`s a regular jarhead!"

Henry blinked, his mom didn't usually talk unkindly about anybody, she must`ve really annoyed her.

"_Where the hell are you takato…?"_

* * *

**Domain: One week since defeating Lilithmon**

Compared to finding a way home escaping the Dark Area had been easy. Wizardmon has been constantly insisting that he had once had a book filled with different ways to do it, but _**someone **_had thrown it away due to a little spine rot! After which he would be promptly smacked upside the head by witchmon, who would say that if he took better care of his books, and organised them better, they wouldn't need to be thrown out! Wizardmon would blame her parents and they would be like that for hours on end.

When they started the tamers would usually find somewhere else to be, and their partners would follow them closely. Takato had spent a lot of time outside the city practicing his newfound abilities with the Hazard, and was progressing surprisingly quickly, Wizardmon had even taught him a thing or two.

Mummymon had been gone since before they arrived, apparently he went off into the wasteland every now and then to find a good fight

They had all but given up hope of returning home, though admittedly the only one who seemed in that much of a hurry was Takato, who knew that his parents must be in quite a state after this amount of time.

Today, having found nothing else to do and with Takato exhausted from the previous day`s training, the five were stuck listening to Witchmon and Wizardmon bicker. Rika was attempting to distract herself by petting Witchmon`s ethereal cat, and though her hand kept slipping through [witchmon seemed to be the only one able to actually touch it] he seemed to like being scratched behind the ears.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the couple took a break for lunch and after a brief row over which would be cooking, Wizardmon ended up getting out the frying pans and making lunch.

While he was at it, Witchmon came and sat beside them. While they had been gone the two had redecorated. Wizardmon now had a new [much smaller] book case, with one shelf dedicated to Witchmon`s porcelain cat collection. The clutter was all but gone, warm rugs had been placed down, and a large C shaped sofa took up the space between the fireplace and the door. The five plus Witchmon could comfortably sit here, even with guilmon and the cat floating just above Rika`s lap.

Witchmon chuckled "Sorry again about me and Wizardmon, we`ve always been rivals since leaving our home town, how we ended up together is beyond me…"

"I still believe you used some kind of enchantment, it's the only explanation!" Wizardmon called though from the kitchen.

"Shut up Wizardmon! …Any way perhaps when he Digivolve`s to Wisemon he`ll grow up a little… unlikely… so, you come up with anything…?"

"Takato shook his head "No… far as I can tell we`re stuck here…" Witchmon looked concerned for them "Well, for as long as you need it this can be your place as much as ours, right Wizardmon"

"Of course" he replied, coming back into the room levitating 7 plates piled high with bacon, egg and sausages, plus a large basket of bread. "One thing the two of us agree on is that nothing is more important than friends"

Barbamon surveyed the city with cold eyes. Belphamon, in his almighty rage mode stood beside him, waiting only for the word to attack, Barbamon sneered in distaste "Destroy…!"

"**Lampranthus!"**

* * *

"**Lampranthus!"**

A loud roar reached the ears of the seven in the apartment, rapidly followed by screams and crashes. Before any of them could react the side of the building was torn away, they leapt to their feet and looked into the receding dust cloud.

"Is that…?" takato began.

"Yes…" Renamon confirmed "It`s Belphamon"

Belphamon, the demon lord of sloth, was huge, larger than any digimon Takato had seen before including the SkullGreymon that had attacked them when they had first arrived in the digital world. He was a humanoid black dragon wrapped in black chains that glowed with green energy. The membrane of his wings was also green, and his demonic eyes were fiery red.

Looking closer Takato felt a sinking feeling in his gut. Standing on the first demon lord`s shoulder was another, one he recognised… as Barbamon. Barbamon had the cruellest expression he had seen yet, and appeared to be an old man, with pointed ears, an ankle length beard, and a yellow mask similar to that worn by Myotismon he was dressed in long robes, had clawed hands, the right of which had an arcane staff held in its grasp. His black wings stretched out raising him into the air.

He grinned evilly at them "So you`re the tamers that infiltrated the citadel, I must say… I'm not impressed… little rookies surviving on nothing but luck and the fortune to have the Guardian of the hazard in their group. And as for you guardian… a fool… that is the impression I get from you, a gullible fool who acts on gut instinct with only the faintest inkling of how to use his power… Hn, after today the digital world will be troubled by you no longer! **Crimson Flame!"**

A burning sea of hellfire streamed toward them before they could respond. They shielded their eyes waiting for the searing pain to come… but it never did, Takato was the first to open his eyes and see Wizardmon sprawled out in front of them, bleeding data from various burns across his body, he suddenly realised that he has cast up a barrier to protect them!

"Wizardmon!" witchmon yelled, pushing past them and crouching beside them, cradling his head in her arms.

"Witchmon…" he croaked, blinking with bleary eyes "You know… now I'm glad you threw out my… stuff… at least it won't end up as part of… Barbamon`s collection…" His head slumped to the side. Thankfully his data did not scatter, meaning he was merely knocked out. But that was still enough for Witchmon.

"Bastards!" she screamed, charging at the two Demon Lord`s **"Baluluna Gale!"**

A powerful gust of wind struck Barbamon, pulling at his robes and ripping at his beard… but he just grinned through it all, gesturing to Belphamon who struck at the witch with a clawed fist, propelling Witchmon to the ground with a sickening crunch. Takato had had enough

"Now Guilmon!"

_**MATRIX -D-I-G-I-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N "GUILMON DIGIVOLVE TO... GROWLMON!"**_

"_**GROWLMON MATRIX DIGIVOLVE TO... WARGROWLMON!"**_

Rika clenched her fist around her digivice "You too Renamon!"

"Yes Rika"

_**MATRIX -D-I-G-I-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N "RENAMON DIGIVOLVE TO... KYUUBIMON!"**_

"_**KYUUBIMON MATRIX DIGIVOLVE TO... TAOMON!"**_

Barbamon sneered "Hn, Ultimate level, is that really all you have…? Well… at least I'll be able to add your digivice`s to my collection of artefacts… I'll catalogue them under N… for novelty items… I'll put them right next to the Patamon slippers…!"

* * *

**Henry's Apartment: 9:30Am **

A slice of toast dropped to the ground.

Mrs Wong looked up "Henry…? What's wrong?" Henry stared at the screen, captured by the images, strings of sound reached his ears.

"… _**Unexplained…"**_

"… _**No wreckage of the second…"**_

"… _**No survivors have yet…" **_

"… _**Shinjuku line…"**_

"Those poor people…" his mom spoke from beside him, making him jump. She blinked "Are you ok?"

He nodded "Yea… sure…. Uh, mom, I need to go out for a while, ill be back soon!" he ran past her, toward the door, grabbing a last slice of toast on the way.

The door closed loudly.

Mrs Wong stared after him "… What got him in such a hurry?"

* * *

"**Gift of Darkness!" **Belphamon roared as he slashed his flaming claws at war growlmon, missing by inches and the Mech-dragon. Like his other attacks this left slash marks in the air itself, through which came a green glow, but each gash healed to quickly to really get a good look.

"**Atomic Blaster!" **Growlmon called, firing his chest lasers in retaliation. They had managed to draw the Demon Lord`s away from the city in to the surrounding desert, where they were finally able to fight full out. But it seemed it wasn't enough.

"Take This!" takato yelled, running up Wargrowlmon`s back and spring boarding off his nose, his entire body covered in what he had come to call "The Hazard Cloak" and delivered an axe kick to the floored Belphamon, causing him to grunt in pain as the hazard burned the flesh on his cheek.

Takato jumped back, retreating from the dragon to gain back his breath. He was already exhausted, sweat glistened on his face and his shirt was damn _"Damn…"_ he thought _"I`ve only attacked twice and I'm already like this…"_ he ground his teeth as Belphamon got to his feet, seemingly unfazed by his attack _"Damn it, maybe I should just distract him while Wargrowlmon does the attacking…? Ok, duck and weave…" _

A little ways off, Taomon and Gatomon were having just as little luck against Barbamon. For an old guy he was pretty fast, and the intensity of his flame attacks was tremendous! Something about his mask made him immune to Gatomon`s "Cats Eye" and Taomon`s "Thousand Spells" Were taken more like a thousand tickles.

Only her "Talisman of Light" seemed to even hurt him.

Gatomon landed in a heap beside Taomon, rather battered. Taomon looked tired, fighting while keeping up her "Talisman Spell" to protect Rika was becoming difficult. As for Rika, she was feeling helpless, her modify cards were enough to keep Taomon going, but none seemed to give her an edge, and there was nothing she could do to help the others, even takato was able to fight to some degree! He had landed a solid kick to a Demon Lord and was still breathing.

She so desperately wanted to help.

Gatomon was back on her feet, determined to keep fighting. They had gone through all this trouble just to get guilmon back and she would be damned if they died now. Looking over to Takato she saw his running rings around Belphamon, annoying him like a fly while Wargrowlmon beat at him with his attacks, it didn't seem to be doing anything but pissing him off.

"**Pandemonium Lost!"**

Gatomon was taken by surprise, she had been distracted! The power of the detonation was unbelievable! The energies of the dark area channelled into one explosion of force. The attack his her full on, blasting her over a hundred feet away as she returned to her salamon state, broken and bleeding. Taomon was hit by the shockwave and barely managed to sustain her form, the talisman spell protecting rika dropped and she too was blown back.

"No!" Salamon heard Takato yell she turned her head towards him, seeing him punch Belphamon in the stomach before running towards them "Gatomon! Rika…!"

Salamon forced herself to her feet, she had to do this! She had to fight for Takato! Fight for her friends!

_**MATRIX -D-I-G-I-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N "SALAMON DIGIVOLVE TO... GATOMON!**_

_**GATOMON MATRIX DIGIVOLVE TO…**_

The broken data was cast aside as a new wave of power flowed into her core, the bright light emanating from it taking the form of a human woman with four angelic wings sprouting from her back. The new data fit over the form, creating her skin which was soon covered by a white body suit over her torso and left leg. Her left arm gained a feathered glove and her right leg a feathered boot. The golden breast plate and black straps were soon in place followed by the winged iron helmet from under which a river of silkey blond hair flowed.

A beautiful pink ribbon materialised and wrapped loosely around her right arm, levitating behind her head to do the same around her right, the ends reaching far past her arms. A smile touched her angelic face as she announced her name…

… _**ANGEWOMON!**_

* * *

**11:00Am**

"Are you sure this is a good idea" Alice asked. They [Henry, Alice, and Jeri were riding in a subway car on the closest line to the crash that was in service.

"The deva`s don't exactly like us, I'm sure this will lure it out" Henry spoke confidently but was clearly nervous, that was why he had insisted Suzie stay home to "Take care of Lopmon"

Henry glanced out of the window as they moved into the station.

A thunderous crash reverberated through the air as the car not only shook but flipped! Glass shattered and metal screeched as they were derailed in a spectacular display of destruction.

Over it all the sound of a snake's angry hiss is predominate.

Alice blearily opened her eyes. Through the red haze she was only just aware of Leomon and Gargomon struggling to maintain their forms, having digivolved instinctively to protect their partners.

Dobermon was similarly protecting her; of course he hadn't been able to evolve for her as he was not technically her partner, just as she was not technically human. She stared at her palm where a nasty cut was pixilating, the blood had stopped flowing already _"Not human… not anymore…"_

Dobermon moved to let her up and she looked around the car, quickly wishing she hadn't. The metal had crumpled in on itself crushing everything in its way, the larger forms of Gargomon and Leomon had protected them from being crushed but both were hurt badly.

She had come off best; Jeri had several nasty cuts including one on her jawbone that would probably scar. Henry was pretty banged up, his left knee was bleeding and his right arm was hanging limply, but both were conscious, and more importantly alive.

The larger digimon were worse off having supported the crumpling roof with their backs, Dobermon seemed to be limping slightly.

Many others in the cabin were not so lucky…

The Tamers barely had time to recover as the damaged metal was torn away to reveal the reptilian form of sandiramon. The creature chuckled sadistically

"Ku ku ku… Tamerssss and Traitorsss die!"

The long, muscled silver and purple tail lashed out like a whip and grabbed the three champions, throwing them away like dead batteries.

Alice moved quickly, pulling Jeri to her feet "Help me move Henry!" Jeri blinked, taking a moment to catch up before shaking her head to clear it. "Right!"

The two moved the downed boy "Hold on!" Jeri stopped Alice as she was about to move him "Henry, grit your teeth!" the boy complied as the girl took the dislocated arm and unzipped his jacket a little, pushing the arm inside so that it would not jar.

Henry grunted in pain "Thanks"

Jeri nodded and looked to Alice "Now" as gently as they could, the two girls guided Henry out of the ripped up cabin and hurried him to the stairs leading to the surface.

Sandiramon had vanished into the ground, leaving the three champions on edge, unable to discern where the deva would appear.

Having deposited Henry Jeri sprang to her feet digivice in hand "Perhaps this will help"

"**Digimodify - Hyper-wing Activate!" **

Glowing white wings sprouted from Leomon`s shoulders, lifting him into the air just a Sandiramon emerged from the ground below his feet.

"**Fist of the Beast King!"**

The burning lion head struck Sandiramon in the eye causing him to hiss in surprise and pain. It opened its mouth to retaliate but was struck from the side by some kind of sound wave released from the maw of Dobermon.

"**Grey Noise!** Dobermon howled, knowing this was all he could do to help the tamers.

Sandiramon hissed "What a pathetic attack… it didn't even sssting! **Venom Axe…!" **

The deva stood there looking very stupid, his mouth hung open with no sign of an attack emerging "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"

"Grey noise, an attack that temporarily disables that of an opponent" Dobermon explained, attempting to buy time for the others.

"YOU BASSSTARD DOG!" Sandiramon spat, slamming his tail down onto Dobermon`s back in rage, immidiatley taking him down for the count.

Sandiramon rose his tail to strike again but once again was thwarted by a volley of Gatling lasers.

"**Gargo Lazer!"**

Sandiramon dove below the ground again, at the last moment hooking his tail around Gargomon to pull him down as well.

The ground split as sandiramon tackle Leomon from underground causing his wings to disperse. Gargomon was trapped between the snakes jaws, one of his Gatling guns the only thing preventing him from being chewed up and spat out.

"**Bunny Pummel"**

Gargomon`s free arm, charged with data, mercilessly pummelled Sandiramon`s face to no avail. Sandiramon bit down harder causing the bunny to scream.

"Jeri!"

The girl jumped hearing her name and turned to see Henry`s pleading eyes on her "Jeri evolve Leomon! I cant even use modify cards like this! Please you have to help him!"

Jeri nodded "Leomon!"

She flinched as her partner rapidly avoided having his legs taken out from under him and back flipped towards her

"Yes Jeri?"

"We need you to digivolve!"

Leomon focused his gaze on his captured comrade "Yes Jeri…"

_**MATRIX -D-I-G-I-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N **_

"_**LEOMON MATRIX DIGIVOLVE TO... GRAPLEOMON!"**_

GrapLeomon darted forward and delivered a mighty punch to Sandiramon`s throat, a punch that carried with it such a surge of wind that it seemed for a moment that gravity had been nullified.

"**King of Fist!"**

Sandiramon choked and released Gargomon, the continued mighty updraft forced him into the roof and held him there, constantly battering him and denying him movement.

Gargomon growled weakly and took the opportunity to fire another Gatling round into the snakes hide, this time it seemed to further hurt the already wounded reptile, a fact which gave Gargomon much pleasure.

The attack eventually wore off and sandiramon crashed to the ground. By then his enemies [minus Dobermon] had regrouped and were waiting for him, he was hurt but not seriously he could still take them. His eyes refocused on the tamers, particularly the wounded one. With then gone, the ease of his task would increase tenfold.

With a hiss he bored into the ground once more and made a beeline for his targets. The digimon realised his intention too late to stop him as his jaws closed on the wounded tamer, cleaving him in half and filling his mouth with blood.

..

..

…

Wait… where was the taste of blood…? The texture of flesh and bone…? With a start sandiramon realised that his targets were nowhere near him, never mind in his mouth! Who had taken them!

"Greetings handbag…!" a strangely polite voice called "I believe you are looking for I?"

Between him and the other digimon stood a three foot tall lavender coloured Bunny, she stood on two legs dressed in an orange training outfit and black shoes. On her hands red gloves sported extendible metal blades, and below her tri-horned head a blue scarf finished off the image that was…

"Turuiemon, I`m very Pleased to meet you" the bunny-girl bowed "And now you shall die"

While curious as to the nature of their new ally the digimon and their tamers soon saw that this was not the time to question and leapt into battle.

Turuiemon cut deep and fast, never still for a moment, for sandiramon it was impossible to dodge her blades, GrapLeomon`s fists and Gargomon`s bullets and still attack. To his shame he realised his only options were to continue his now feeble attempts at battle without his ability to attack, or flee.

"Don't let him get away!" Gargomon shouted, seeing the snake about to try tunnelling.

"**King of fist!"**

Finding himself once again battered and pinned to the wall sandiramon could only watch as the finishing blows came.

"**Gargo laser!"**

"**Ninja fist!"**

"**Blades of the kamikaze!"**

Sandiramon slumped to the ground at the gates of death, but still he chuckled "You may have defeated me but my brethren the De…"

He was interrupted by the calm voice of Turuiemon "Don't think we are not aware of the deva, already your numbers are halved, now if you would kindly expire my friends and I would appreciate the peace"

Sandiramon hissed weakly and dispersed.

Turuiemon turned and bowed to Henry "Have I now earned your trust brother of my partner?"

Henry blinked "Lopmon?"

The bunny-girl nodded.

Henry felt awful, this digimon had saved his sister and he had still not trusted her, now she had saved his life.

"Of course I trust you Turuiemon, and I'm sorry, you saved Suzie's life and you're so close to her, I should have treated you like another sister instead of being suspicious"

Turuiemon smiled "I will forgive you if you make true what you have said and be my big brother"

Henry blinked "Uh… okay, sis"

Terriermon pumped his fist into the air "well then I guess that makes me the big brother of the family!"

"Terriermon"

"Momuntai!"

* * *

"**Heaven`s… Charm!"**

The rainbow coloured waves rippled out from Angewomon`s hands, striking Barbamon directly, the holy energies had an adverse effect on the Demon Lord. He roared in pain as the energy was stripped from him and his mask fragmented. He growled "You`ll pay for that… **Crimson Flame!"**

Angewomon dodged the attack nimble with twice the elegance she would have had as Gatomon, a small smile on her face. "Now Taomon!"

"**Talisman of Light!"**

The explosion caught Barbamon by surprise and without the artefact protecting him from holy attacks the power damaged him badly, data flowed freely from his body, and he seemed incredibly fatigued.

"This is it Barbamon…" Angewomon spoke quietly "It seems it is you who will trouble the digital world no more…"

"**Celestial Arrow!"**

"Agggh…!" Barbamon yelled in pain as the holy arrow pierced his chest. He spat up blood before speaking his last "Wha…? So pathetic... this shouldn't be possible… hn… no matter… I may not… but Belphamon will destroy you!" and with those words his data polluted the air.

Angewomon smiled and turned back to the others. Taomon's robed were dishevelled, but she was mostly fine. Rika was sitting up and staring at her, seeming almost disappointed. _"Strange…"_ she thought, but brushed it off as she looked over to the second fight. Takato was sending her a huge grin as Wargrowlmon grappled with Belphamon "Looking good Gatomon! Sorry, I mean Angewomon!"

She laughed "Need some help over there!"

He grinned, and after dodging a tail swipe from Belphamon replied "Maybe just a little!"

Rika sighed as Angewomon went to join the second battle with Taomon by her side _"I guess they don't need me then…"_

"**Atomic Blaster!"**

WarGrowlmon jumped back after firing his attack, leaving belphamon as a target.

"**Celestial Arrow!" **

"**Thousand Spells!"**

The resulting explosion shrouded belphamon in a smokescreen that quickly spread out across the field. Angewomon peered into the smoke.

"Did we get him…?"

Silence fell… then…

"**Lampranthus!"**

Belphamon, who had manoeuvred behind them, released the full power of his flames on the unprotected backs of Angewomon and Taomon. The two screamed loudly, shocking the others, but belphamon did not waste the opportunity to tackle WarGrowlmon to the ground, trying to tear out the cyborgs throat.

Takato held himself back from attacking until he could se clearly, leaping back outside the smokescreen he surveyed the area keenly, seeing Rika also watching the smoke, even more tense than he was.

"Don't worry Rika, they'll be fine…?"

She glanced at him, and for a moment she looked grateful… before they heard a high pitched groan of pain an the smoke cleared.

Belphamon had WarGrowlmon pinned down, unable to move, Angewomon and Taomon were gone. In their place, huddled together in the sand, the tamers instantly recognised their bleeding partners...

Viximon and Nyaramon.

"Viximon!" Rika screamed, dashing towards her digimon.

"Rika NO!" Takato called out too late as belphamon`s thrashing tail slammed into Rika with a sickening crunch. She was thrown for hundreds of feet before she hit the ground and began too roll. She came to a stop an moment later, her leg was twisted the wrong way. She coughed up what seemed to be a gallon of blood to the frozen takato, before collapsing into blissful unconsciousness.

Takato stood still, inside he was shaking, fear anger and sadness raging in a blinding maelstrom of hatred toward belphamon and the demon lords.

"_Hey… HEY CAN YOU HEAR ME IN THERE!"_

"**I hear you" **

"_Help me draw on the hazard! I need more!"_

The red energy of the hazard was like a storm around takato`s body, drawing belphamon`s attention.

"BELPHAMON!"

The mega watched to the boy closely as the tamers voice went cold.

"… You will die for this"

**WARNING, DATA INFLUX, **

_**HAZARD MATRIX – A-C-T-I-V-A-T-E **_

"**WARGROWLMON…**_** HAZARD DIGIVOLUTION…!**_

The cyborg dragons body was completely obliterated as his core glowed a fiery red. The hazard was being streamed directly into his as the energy took on a liquid like nature.

This liquid soon took shape, a humanoid torso, dragon wings and head, a lashing snakes tail in place of legs. New data collected on the surface, adding the features, blood red scales, a creamy yellow underbelly, his chest had the hazard symbol, and looked reminiscent of a ribcage.

His arms were strong and vicious, the claws sharp enough to lacerate a mountain. But the face was the real horror, a snarling mouth dripped acid drool, and his heavy breathing sent It flying as spittle.

It roared angrily at belphamon, the intent to kill obvious…

**MEGIDRAMON!"**

Takato clenched his fist, he could feel the insanity in Megidramon`s mind pressuring him to give into anger and violence.

"_Help me! We need to control this!"_

"**Concentrate on your D-Power! Its job it to control and stream data, feed the hazard into it, and it will adapt!"**

Megidramon threw the demon lord off him, a wild look in his eyes. The ground was beginning to shake, and the data streams had turned red.

The digivice glowed brightly, takato had to look away to protect his eyes! And then, it shattered…

Large red markings of the hazard decorated the terrain, storm clouds filled the sky, the hazard was running amuck!

Takato`s right arm burned as more of the hazard than he could handle flowed into his wrist, the scattered data of his D-Power gathering around the spot.

And the chaos stopped, takato`s D-Power had reformed, now a manacle of blood red steel, on his inner wrist was a black jewel. Like a marble it was semi clear, and inside a red hazard spun slowly.

Megidramon seemed to calm, and looked back to takato. His eyes had changed, these were the eyes of his friend, the eyes of guilmon.

"Takato… my head feels funny…"

Takato smiled "it`s ok buddy, guess with great power comes great headaches… now then boy, we have some ass to kick don't we?"

Megidramon grinned and looked back and the demon lord seeing he was about to attack "Hey belphamon!" he brandished his claws "Time for a tickle fight!" and the dangerous but childish dragon lunged at his demon opponent, attempting to rip out his stomach.

Takato cracked his knuckles and summoned the hazard cloak "Hm, clobbering time…"

Belphamon found himself blindsided by a punch from takato and was sent reeling into the waiting claws of Megidramon. The other dragon cut deep gashes into the arms and chest his opponent, raising a scream of pain.

"**Gift of darkness!"**

Belphamon slashed wildly at takato who was coming in for another shot but found Megidramon in his way. Takato quickly spring boarded off his partners face to deliver an axe kick to the demon's nose.

Pained and humiliated, belphamon went wild.

The citadel shook as lucemon pounded the wall with his fist "Daemon!"

His second in command stepped out of a shadow and nodded "Yes lucemon?"

The ruler of the demon lords glared at him, daemon found it ironic that the lord of pride was sinking to the level of himself, the lord of wrath, perhaps the madness that had caused lucemon to wipe out his own kind was once again in control.

All the better for him if so.

"Daemon, I want those tamers dead, them and their digimon, why wont they die! How wont they die!? First lillithmon, then barbamon! Are my demon lords just pathetic!?"

Daemon decided to stay silent.

"No, they are not… not my lillithmon, she was strong, barbamon was stupid… perhaps belphamon will succeed, his wrath my friend may be greater than yours… leave"

Daemon did leave; best to keep up the act, but inside the full wrath of the demon lord was burning. A demon of sloth had greater wrath than him! It was an insult, and now more than ever, lucemon was the focus of wrath itself…

The hazard cloak fell away as takato`s breathing became laboured, belphamon took hits and kept coming, its injuries were fatal even for a mega, it was only the berserk rage that kept it on it`s feet.

Unlike his tamer Megidramon had not tired, and to his eye belphamon was slowing _"I can do this, I can do this…!"_

Forcing all of his strength into his muscles he pressed the demon lord into the ground and wrapped his tail around it`s thick ugly neck.

"_Break… come on break!"_

Belphamon grinned, quite obviously preparing his final move.

"_No time to snap it, I need to attack too!"_

The two mega` s were building up more energy than their surroundings could handle, rocks and sad were blasted into data as the pressure built.

Megidramon smiled "Belphamon… consider your ass kicked!"

"**Megiddo Flame!"**

"**Lampranthus!"**

…

…

…

* * *

**Zandermon: I know, how dare I show my face on this site after so long**

**Lady.D: Do you even know how long its been!**

**Angewomon: We have been sitting in this commentary room since June 18 2010… its now September 29 2012!**

**Lady.D: All that time… alone with her**

**Zandermon: IM SORRY DON'T KILL ME…. I`ll make it up to you, once this academic year is over i`ll have a job and my very own dingy flat, you can live with me there!**

**SMACK**

**Zandermon: Owwww**


End file.
